Over 90% Students Miss Admission Deadline in Karachi Colleges
Karachi’s Higher Secondary Education Board is once again facing significant challenges in implementing its college admission policy effectively. Despite the official deadline for first-year intermediate admissions now being over, an overwhelming majority of students—more than 90%—have yet to submit their admission forms this year.
Out of an estimated 98,000 prospective intermediate students in Karachi, only about 7,000 have completed the admission application process, reveals Professor Dr. Naveed Rab Siddiqui, Sindh’s Director General of Colleges. He confirmed that approximately 91,000 students remain unenrolled, having refrained from moving forward with their admissions due to serious reservations surrounding the current system.
Many students argue that despite being eligible on merit, they were unable to secure seats in their preferred colleges. This has led to widespread dissatisfaction, with thousands holding out hope that the merit lists might be revised or the cutoff marks lowered to allow them to claim admissions at their desired institutions. However, Dr. Siddiqui has firmly dismissed any such possibility this year, making it clear that the merit list will remain unchanged.
“Students must complete their admissions at the institutions where they have been allocated seats,” he emphasized. “Unlike previous years, there will be no adjustments or changes to the merit lists. The current allocations are final.”
This stance by the education authorities leaves a large number of Karachi’s intermediate students in a difficult position, potentially delaying their academic progress for the year. The situation also highlights ongoing issues in the implementation and transparency of the college admission policy, raising concerns among educators, parents, and policymakers.
