A recent report submitted by the University of Karachi (KU) to the Sindh High Court has raised concerns about the state of government colleges in Karachi, particularly regarding their application for affiliation to offer BS programs across various disciplines. The report revealed that the affiliation files from 11 government colleges were incomplete and hastily prepared, lacking essential details about facilities, teacher qualifications, book titles, computer resources, and the number of classrooms.
Educationist Dr. Muhammad Ali Sheikh, former Vice-Chancellor of Sindh Madressatul Islam, commented on the issue, highlighting the difference between how academic and financial administration works in Pakistan’s colleges and universities compared to other countries. He suggested that the academic administration in Pakistan’s colleges should be shifted to universities to improve the overall quality and management of these institutions.
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The report provided details on the specific deficiencies at various colleges. For instance, DJ Sindh Government Science College’s request for affiliation in three subjects revealed inadequate faculty for Computer Science, with only three teachers, despite the requirement for more. The Government Girls Science and Commerce College in Federal B Area also failed to provide sufficient details about its qualifications and resources for its proposed BBA program, while the PECHS Government College for Women faced similar issues in its application for the BS Economics and Finance program.
Dr. Naveed Rab, Director General of Colleges, explained that although the colleges had submitted their affiliation files, the University of Karachi had asked for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Education Department before conducting an inspection. Dr. Anila Amber Malik, Secretary of the Affiliation Committee, confirmed that the court had received the report and stated that phased visits to colleges would begin in December to assess their eligibility for affiliation.
