Govt approves privatisation of 70 colleges

RAWALPINDI:

After the privatisation of government schools, the higher education sector has also come under the government's plan, with the approval of college privatisation across Punjab, including Rawalpindi Division.

A list of 70 colleges has been finalised for the first phase, and privatisation approval has been granted.

In the first phase, all commerce colleges in Punjab, including those in Rawalpindi, will be privatised. Commerce colleges have been placed at the top of the list, with the government declaring them a major financial burden on the treasury. Colleges with low student enrolment and those located close to each other have also been prioritised, with plans to merge students from nearby institutions.

The privatisation process will begin in January 2026, at the start of the new year.

The first phase is expected to be completed before the start of the new academic session. At present, Punjab has a total of 550 colleges, and the government aims to outsource 200 of them over the next two years. Meanwhile, the third phase of privatising an additional 4,500 government schools will also begin this month.