High percentage of students from Punjab in NUST: Senate panel advocates for greater representation of students from other provinces as well

ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology Kamil Ali Agha has expressed concern over the disproportionately high percentage of students from Punjab in the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and stressed the need to ensure greater representation from other provinces as well.

The NUST Rector clarified that admissions are granted strictly on merit, but varying educational standards across provinces limit the ability of some students to qualify through the entry tests, adding that the NUST conducts entry tests across Pakistan to facilitate students and offers more than 1,000 scholarships to deserving students with a family income below Rs 40,000.

The Senate Standing Committee on Science & Technology met on Thursday under the chairmanship of Senator Kamil Ali Agha at the NUST, Islamabad. The committee was briefed by NUST Rector Dr Muhammad Zahid Latif on the achievements and challenges faced by the university.

Established in 1991, the NUST currently offers 168 degree programmes in seven disciplines to 20,000 students, with a faculty strength of 1,296 members—68 percent of whom are PhDs, 47 percent foreign qualified, and 29 percent female members.

Highlighting some of the NUST’s achievements, the Rector informed that the university ranks 6th in South Asia, 67th in Asia, and 371st globally in the QS World Rankings 2025–2026. He stated that the Board of Governors is the main governing body overseeing all university affairs.

According to data shared, as per the 2017 census, the student body comprises 61.02 percent from Punjab, 11.56 percent from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 9.69 percent from Islamabad, 8.38 percent from Sindh, 3.1 percent from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 2.59 percent from Balochistan, 2.24 percent from Gilgit-Baltistan, and 0.38 percent international students.

The Rector also pointed out severe financial challenges, particularly in sustaining the NUST Balochistan campus, facing an annual loss of Rs 30 million. He noted that despite the commitment made by the Government of Balochistan, scholarships for 200 students from the province have yet to be paid. The chairman of the Senate’s panel summoned the Chief Secretary of Balochistan and the head of Balochistan Education Endowment Fund (BEEF) for the next meeting to resolve the issue. He also instructed NUST to arrange preparatory classes for students from underprivileged provinces to help them qualify for admissions.

The committee also discussed the shortage of girls’ hostels. It is recommended that NUST submit a proposal in time for inclusion in the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The Rector apprised the committee of funding constraints, stating that against an annual government allocation of four billion rupees, the university’s expenditure exceeded Rs 12 billion, including Rs 1 billion annual electricity bill. The financial constraints have affected the ability to offer competitive salaries, resulting in increased faculty resignations.

The Senate body also took notice of the issue of sewage water from adjacent areas passing through the university premises. The committee decided to form a sub-committee to resolve various issues between the NUST and the CDA, including water supply, land lease/usage, and obtaining of NoCs for construction.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025