Pakistani Universities Are Failing Their Students — Here’s the Truth

What Should a University Be?

A university should be a space for discovery, growth, and transformation. A place that:

Sparks curiosity
Encourages critical thinking
Offers the freedom to question
Builds character, ethics, and purpose

But in Pakistan, that vision is lost. Our universities often feel more like prisons than places of learning.

The Harsh Reality

Being a student here feels like running on a treadmill — endless effort, little progress. Instead of developing minds, we’re being boxed into a system that priorities memorisation and obedience.

The Key Problems (Explained)

1. Outdated Curriculum

The curriculum is stuck in the past. Students are taught tools, languages, and concepts that are no longer used in the real world. For example, outdated courses like Assembly Language or DLD are treated as core, while in-demand fields like AI, cloud computing, or product development are sidelined. This disconnect makes students unfit for modern job markets right after graduation.

Most tech and data science students in Pakistan are learning content that’s 10-15 years old. Modern tools like GPT, cloud engineering, modern Python stacks, or even APIs are barely mentioned.

Meanwhile, students in the U.S., Europe, or even India are working with:

LLMs
TensorFlow / PyTorch
Agile development
GitHub collaboration
Open-source contributions

Pakistani universities? Still stuck on C++, DLD, and manually drawing ER diagrams with pencil and paper.

2. No Time to Learn

The workload is relentless — assignments, quizzes, and exams pile up without giving time for deep understanding. Students are often forced to memorize rather than learn. There’s no room to build side projects, explore passions, or improve real-world skills. Learning becomes a burden instead of a journey.

3. No Room for Questions

You can’t even question the system. It operates more like a top-down dictatorship than a space for open dialogue and learning. When students try to give feedback or ask genuine questions, it’s often taken as a personal offense by the faculty. Instead of encouraging curiosity, students who ask “why” are told to “just follow” without explanation. This culture of silence and blind obedience suffocates critical thinking — the very foundation of meaningful education.

“They narrow down thinking abilities of students…”

This is probably the worst damage:
Instead of sparking curiosity, they crush it.
Instead of encouraging innovation, they punish it.

4. Mental Burnout

Students face immense pressure to perform, often without mental health support. Failing even one subject delays their graduation, causing financial, emotional, and academic setbacks. Stress, anxiety, and depression are common — but rarely acknowledged.

5. Meaningless Assignments

Assignments often have no connection to real-life applications. Students copy-paste to meet deadlines instead of learning anything meaningful. This practice not only wastes time but also kills creativity and problem-solving skills.

Assignments are:

Copy-pasted from seniors
Focused on documentation, not application
Never reviewed for feedback or improvement

Real-world projects? Almost non-existent.

6. Lack of Collaboration

The environment is so competitive that students hesitate to help each other. There’s little room for group projects or cross-departmental teamwork. Instead, everyone works in silos — just trying to survive. This mindset hinders teamwork, which is critical in real-world jobs.

Final Year Projects should be collaborative, cross-disciplinary, and aimed at solving real-world problems. Encouraging open-source contributions and real product development can spark innovation and lead to actual startups or job opportunities.

7. Inexperienced Faculty

Many faculty members in Pakistani universities are barely older than their students, with little to no industry experience. They often still operate with a mindset similar to that of a 4th-semester student — lacking maturity, exposure, and depth. Teaching, for them, becomes a routine of reading slides rather than imparting real-world skills. Instead of welcoming student questions, they avoid or dismiss them, further discouraging curiosity and critical thinking. In contrast, faculty at global universities are often industry consultants, startup advisors, and passionate mentors who genuinely care about their students’ growth and success. They bring both academic depth and professional insight into the classroom, making learning relevant and inspiring.

They walk in, give a lecture, disappear. No proper office hours. No mentoring. No passion. For many, teaching isn’t a mission — it’s just a job.

8. No Ethical or Civic Growth

Courses on ethics, leadership, or communication are missing or poorly taught. Students aren’t trained to be good citizens, teammates, or leaders. This lack of direction contributes to the larger societal problems we face today — from dishonesty to a lack of civic responsibility.

9. Poor Infrastructure

Many classrooms are uncomfortable, outdated, and uninspiring. Equipment in labs doesn’t work. Internet access is spotty. Instead of a creative and encouraging space, the university feels like a rundown office building from the 90s.

10. Favouritism & Bias

Merit is often ignored in favour of personal connections. Some students get better grades, opportunities, or internships because of their relationships with faculty — not their performance. This culture kills morale and encourages unfairness.

11. CGPA Obsession

CGPA has become the only metric of “success.” Students are afraid to take risks or learn things outside their syllabus because it might hurt their grades. The result? Graduates with high CGPAs but low adaptability and creativity.

CGPA has become the god of this system:

High CGPA = Genius (even if you cheated or memorised)
Low CGPA = Failure (even if you’re talented, creative, or skilled)

This one number decides your worth, your opportunities, and your future.

It reduces brilliant individuals into statistics.

12. Career Confusion

Due to a lack of career counselings or industry exposure, many students choose degrees they don’t understand. They go through four years without knowing where they’re heading or how to apply what they’ve learned in the real world.

The Aftermath: Unprepared Graduates

When students graduate, they face the harsh reality that they lack the skills employers seek. Not because they didn’t try — but because the system didn’t prepare them. Those who want to start businesses are discouraged, seen as rebels instead of innovators. Students are taught to be job seekers, not creators. This crushes ambition and blocks the path to independence.

No Support for Entrepreneurs

Those who dream of building something on their own are laughed at or discouraged. The system isn’t built to support innovation or business creation — just job hunting.

Burnout at Every Level

The constant academic pressure, emotional isolation, and high financial cost of education lead to burnout. Students leave university drained — not empowered.

How Do We Fix This?

Modernise the Curriculum

Update course content regularly. Introduce current, in-demand skills like AI, data science, and product design.

Make Learning Fun

Encourage creative projects, open discussions, and gamified learning. Move beyond just slides and lectures.

Support Mental Health

Introduce counsellors and peer-support groups. Normalise talking about burnout, stress, and anxiety.

Guide Career Paths

Offer mentorship, career counselling, and real exposure to industries so students can make informed decisions.

Train Teachers to Inspire

Invest in faculty development. Bring in guest lecturers from industries. Encourage mentorship culture.

Ditch CGPA Obsession

Value learning outcomes, creativity, and teamwork more than just grades.

Teach What Matters

Include courses on ethics, communication, leadership, entrepreneurship, and real-life skills.

Encourage Innovation

Set up incubators, offer startup grants, and celebrate students who take risks and try new things.

Shorten and Focus Degree Programs

Redesign degrees to be 2-3 years long, focusing entirely on skill-building, critical thinking, and practical exposure. This would fast-track employ-ability and reduce student burnout while aligning education with real-world needs.

Let’s Rebuild Education

Pakistani students are full of potential. But our system holds them back.

We need universities that build:

Thinkers, not parrots
Creators, not just coders
Citizens, not machines

It’s time to break the cycle. Time to build something better.

There might be more problems and solutions. If you have more in mind, please write down in the comments below. If you agree with my point of view, please comment “Agreed”.

immadshahid.com | CEO MansaiSoft (Pvt) Ltd. | AI student | A Tech Content Creator