INFORMATION ON HIGHER EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00865R000200210002-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 24
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 8, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: September 18, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

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This paper discusses higher education in Pakistan and the Six-
Year National Plan of &Lucational Development for Pakistan as it per-
tains to higher educationo
The educational system in Pakistan, as it existed in 1947 when
India was partitioned, was intende(i to serve a narrow0 utilitarian
purposed and its. growth has been largely a matter of artificial im-
provisation, The partitioning of India and the subsequent vacuum
created in education within the new-bor state - Pakistan - by the
forced resignations of the relatively cmmpetent Sikh and Hindu teachers
and professors., gave the educational system, parts arly higher educa-
tionfl a severe set-backo
Confronted with a grave basic problem in the entire field of
educationo the Pakistan Government, after holding several conferences
with educational authorities, layed down a nix-year national plan of
educational development for Pakistano whicho'if executed substan-
tially as it stands, will effect a basic reorganization in the
countryes educational system?
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PART ON&
HIGHER ;DUCATION IN Pk STAN
I Introduc tion
The educational system in Pakistan, as it existed in 1947,
was described by Mr. Fazlur Rahman, Pakistani Minister of M;ducation,
in an address to the Pakistan ducation Confersn6e (November, 1947),
as follows:
"Our existing
educational system, as originally conceived
by Macaulay, was intended to serve a narrow, utilitarian
purpose, and its growth has been largely.a matter of artifi-
cial improvisation, It has rightly been condemned for its
lack of realism and its inability to adjust itself to the
needs of a rapidly changing society, its over-literary bias
.and its utterly uninspiring, soulless character. It has
no common faith or com-aon body of principles to animate it,,,
and had conspicuously failed to 'inculcate and :nairitain the
stern moral and intellectual discipline which is the.hall-
msarc of true education. Thus its products, with their
minds crammed with an unassimilated mass of unrelated ideas
and facts passing for knowledge, have gone out into the world
only to discover that they are unfitted for the business of
living. P1 3
As a direct result of the partioning of the Indian sub-continent,
the educational system, particularly higher education in Pakistan --
the now-born state m suffered a great set-back. This set-back
stemmed from (1) the vacuum created by the forced resignation of Sikh
and Hindu teachers and professors, who were, for the most part, better
qualified for educational 'instruction than their Muslim colleagues;
(2) the frequent appointment of Muslim teachers and profas;;ors solely
because of their religion without respect for ability; (3) the over-
crowding of institutions', resulting in a lowered standard of instruc-
tion; / and (4) lack of capable administrators. /
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Pakistanis know that their standards of education are low
and that, educationally they lag behind India. Their Government
is 'currently attempting to improve aci)eol standards, by-extending
grants (even to mission schools undo certain conditions), by
accepting Western missionary JW#Anfl? supervision, and by invites
ing uropeans to help develop and improve the educational system. tW
According to the Constitution Of Pakistan, education is a
provincial responsibility. The role of the.gducation Division in
the Central Government is (1) to coorciinite educational policies
throughout Pakistan, (2) to plan for educational developuerit on a
national basis, and (3) to offer advice on problems referred to
it.
The "Six-Year National Plan of .ducstional levelopment for
Pakistan,".which is discussed separately in this study, throws
light on the 'schemes planned jointly by the Central Govorf:msnt? end
edgcational authorities,, .for standardization and improvement of
the educational institutions of Pakistan,' In order to understand
the problems facing Pakistan's higher,educ?.tion, a su?mzry review
of the make-up of the average Pakistani student, and the existing
higher
r1 ti
i
e
q uca on
nstitutions in rai.lstan is necessary.
II. The Paki.attini Student
The current college students represent all classes of P
l
i
na
a
s
sta
s
economic society, In emotional temperament, the average student is
closer to the, Italian than to any other
rack of
eo
le
'a
d hi
.
p
p
,
ri
s
failure to face the problems of youth squarely is a serious deficiency
. L /
in h$ s ment
l
d
d
o
a
e
uc
t, His Political Orientation:
The vast majority of Pakistan's college students are ra`idly
nationalistic, with political views ranging from extreme left to
ultra-conservative. They are pro-Western., though s4eptical of
Many Western views and 'techniques Yet, it is alleged, that if
ten of them were to study under supervision in the United 'States,
nine would return. to their homes with a violently pro-American
attitude,
The typical student is not apt to accept either Soviet or US
statements at face value, but after study is more prone to believe
and understand the American point of view. 21
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Pakistan's students, however, rescrit United 8tatas'aid and
assistance to Israel, claiming that.th& Jews have seriously
mistreated Arab refugees; and they ai o believe that the United
States should render more #inancia tid to the Arab states.
III0 HiPber 5clucation Institutions
The English language had hitherto dominated the educational
systeia in Pakistan, 2/ and had been instituted as the modiwn of
instruction at college and university levels,
B. Sta es of iclucation: '
Before a student can graduate from a university he must puss
throu;e the following stages of educYtion: primary - 4 years;
secondary.- 6 years; intermediate - 2 ycea.rs; and undergraduate
2 years.
C. Baer r'~ucation RColl ):
The total number of colleges in Pakistan is now 1270 Of these
36 are intermediate, 82 degree, and 9'poet-graduate colleges.
Among them are included womenle colleges which are as rollows.
intermediate 3,, degree 15, and post-graduate 1.
There are no intermediate colleges in the Punjab.
Total enrollment in existing colleges' (excluding Bahawalpur,
which has not yet supplied the requisite information), is estimated.
at 39,393 (37,502 men and -1,891 women). 'This figure does not cover
t
d
u
a
.enta who are studying in the various Departments of the
There is a general complaint that acadera.ic standards in colleges
are rapidly deteriorating, The main causes responsible for this
decline are: (1) inadequacy and .po'or quali,tyof instruction, and
(2) inadequacy of buildiings, libraries and laboratory equipment*'.
The teaching of science is generally deficient; and, there are not.
many colleges which have. built up corporate life for their students
by provision of suitable hostels. This deficiency denies the
students opportunities for developing !esprit de corps" and disci-
pline, and for living in the, kind of atmosphere conducive to
academic pursuits,
The demand for wommO's education is growing, but the main
difficulty encountered in meeting this demand is the dearth of
suitably qualified women lecturers.
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,
genet description of the present universities
ft 11.,wa.
? De Hi Sher tgucation ' (Domestic Science and Arta);
Pakistan is extremely deficient i institutions for training
domestic science teachers and for adVSueed study in all, important
aspects of home living.
The existing system is under criticism for its excessive
literary emphasis, and for its failure to meet the s?,ecial require-
ments of women.
There is at present only ono school in domestic sciences, at
Lahore. It provides training in domestic science up to the ciploma
level, and has a total enrollment of 41 students,, of whom 28 are
girls-who are taking domestic science as an optional subject.
Z. Higher iducation(Uniyersities)
Of the 21 universities which existed in India before the parti-
tions, only three (Punjab, Dacca,, and Sind) remained in the territory
comprising what is now Pakistan.
The most serious criticism levelled against the universities in
.the-Indo-Pakistan sub-continent is that their standard of teaching
is low, and that they have ' failed in discharging their fundamental
.function, vino, the,promotion of research, both humanistic and
scientific A ~
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(1) The University of the Punjab:
The University of the Punjab was established in l882
It is mainly an affiliating university though, it provides .
post-graduate teaching and research in a few subjects.
Its affiliated colleges are spread over a large area
covering the Punjab, Bahawalpur, Baluchistan, and until
recently the NWFP. ? These colleges are adrninist .e&vb -%;,tho
Government, or in a , few cases, by private educational groups.
The seat of the University is at Lahore. Of Al the
towns in Pakistan, it has the largest number of colleges
with post-graduate teaching chiefly on an inter,-collegiate
basis.
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(2) Dacca University:
Dacca University was:cablished in 1921 as a unitary
residential university,. with its owh H411s of ,Residence..
On partition it had to assume the additional functions of
an affiliating university as all colleges, other than those
at Dacca, were previously affiliated to Calcutta
University which after partition could no'longer claim
Jurisdiction over them -,
(3) Sind University:
Sind University was established at carachi early in
1947. It had hardly started when the partition took place,
and in 1948. Karachi, the capital of Sind, 'was' taicen over
by the Central Government as the federal capital. The
University of Sind was moved to Hyderabad in May 1951, and
continues to function as an affiliating University.
(4). Peshwar University.
Peshwar University was established in 195Q: :It is a'
teachinggresident:Lal affilicLtirig university.
(5) Karachi University:.
Karachi is the youngest university in Pakistan,
established in June 19514 It is intended to develop it
.into a unitary residential university with all:the'colleges
in Karachi. as its constituents, and a number of Halls of
Residence directly under its control and supervision.
While undergraduate teaching -and research will be organized
and conducted by the colleges, all postgraduate teaching
and research will be organized and conducted by the univerc-
sity itself.
IVu Teacher and Teacher Training Institutions
There are 88,697 teachers in primary schools, of whom 43471 are
untrained. In secondary schools, out of a total of 43,823 teachers,
24 O76
t
un
10 . are rained.
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~:~.^n':fl7T V TRn~ntyrraen-ri.,.
Training institutions for primary ahhool teachers now total 125,
with a present enrollment of 6,145 stu nts. Of these, 16 institu-
tione are for women, with an enrollmen of 676. The total number of
training institutions for secondary 6 ool teachers is 11, with an
ernrolhnent of 276.
Of the primary teachers' training schools ,.only four can be
Considered even partially adequate; of. the secondary, ohly two (at
Lahore and at Dacca) have anything like adequate standards. 6
V. Technical, Education
Technical education in the Indian sub.'contin nt has been greatly
neglected.., Its development was slow and insignificant, and it had
little organic relationship with the general system, of education,
At. the higher level of technical.educatjon, engineering colleges
were controlled either by~the Public Works Department,,. as. in the case
case of Fast BingaL,
of the Punjab and Sind, or by the Education Department, as in the
-
The Punjab College of Engineering-and Technology, Lahore 'the N.E.D.
sneering College, Karachi, and the College of f#ngineering.at,Daocao
There are at.present three engineering colleges in Pakiatan?
The Punjab College of kngineering and Technology offers courses
leading to.degrees in civil, mechanical, and electrical en ineering
also
d
t P
.., a e e
: a
unj b Coll age ledi t dil "dich
.,ango apoma on asanw"
system by which 20 per cent of instruction is given. in the college,
d th
est
an
e r
in N. We Railway Workshops.
The N._'D. &ginesring College prepares candidates for de
rees
g
in civil,~mechanical, and electrical engineering; also in vocational
trainin
leadi
t
th
i
g
ng
o
d
e.ploma in civil, mechanical,. and electrical
g e W&& too in civ9.l, mechanical, electrical,' agricultural,
The College of L~ngineerini6of somewhat wider ecop% offers courses
lsndin to th d
In addition to the previously nntioned colleges, there are seven
other institutions of'a more vocational character, in which a. diploma
is 'awarded for satisfactory completion of .a course of study. 'Among these colleges are included courses in a variety of subjects suchas
electro-mechanical and die press sheet metal works, commercial paining,
modelling, blacksmithy,cabinet making, automobile eni;ineering,
w
i
eav
ng eyeing and printing,hi bildi, cr
, macneungseamics
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VI, Comnercial :education
content, with standards or mediocre qualitya
school nor with the business world, The preeont system fails to
meet the requirements of cothnierce0 It is excessively theoretical
Commercial education has relatiiiiishi?, neither with the him
w
un
f
x ou ormity of sessions? scale of fees, or general academic
students in shorthand, typewriting, and book-keeping, but they are
"th, t
i
There are a number of private commercial schools which train
o
n
erce Lshore,, where laoasibillty for such training is said
Universities of, Punjab, Sind f. and Dacca, which offer courses leading
to the university degree, Practical training is not provided as an
osntantial part of any of these'coursoe, except at the Miley College
f (1-m- 4
The only education. for c, nraerce presently a ra3labla is at the
a total enrollment of 774 students, and three commercial colleges
.There are at present eight commercial schools in Pakistan with,
with a total enrollment of b14o.
VIII Art and'CulturaI Activities
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