In recent years, Pakistan has seen a surge in the number of PhD candidates, with universities across the country producing hundreds of doctoral graduates annually. However, despite this apparent growth in higher education, many of these PhDs are facing severe criticism from foreign academic bodies for the substandard quality of their research. The rejection rate of PhD theses by international authorities has exposed a deep crisis in the academic landscape of Pakistan, leading to questions about whether the problem lies in funding, talent, or a flawed educational system.
Between 2018 and 2023, Pakistan produced approximately 4,500 PhD graduates. This number reflects a strong push from the government and educational institutions to encourage advanced research and academic excellence. However, of these 4,500 PhD theses, it is reported that up to 40% were either rejected or faced significant revisions when evaluated by foreign reviewers. According to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, nearly 500 PhD dissertations sent for evaluation to foreign examiners in the last five years were deemed unsatisfactory, with many being returned for rework due to poor quality, lack of originality, and failure to meet international standards.
The root cause of this crisis is multi-faceted. One of the primary issues is the lack of research culture in Pakistan’s higher education institutions. Many universities push students through PhD programs without ensuring that they have the necessary research skills and support to produce groundbreaking or even competent work. The pressure to meet quotas and the commercialization of PhD programs have resulted in an alarming decline in the quality of academic output. Pakistani universities, while focusing on the number of PhD graduates they produce, often fail to prioritize the depth and quality of research that is essential for global academic recognition.
A significant factor contributing to this crisis is the lack of experienced and qualified supervisors. In many cases, PhD candidates in Pakistan are guided by supervisors who themselves have limited exposure to contemporary research methodologies and international academic standards. Some supervisors are not actively engaged in research, and thus are unable to provide the necessary mentorship. According to a 2022 report by the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST), nearly 35% of PhD supervisors have not published a single paper in internationally recognized journals over the past five years. This is a glaring issue, as PhD candidates rely heavily on their supervisors to guide them in producing work that meets global standards.
Furthermore, the budget allocated for research in Pakistan’s higher education sector remains abysmally low. In 2022, the government allocated only 0.25% of its GDP to research and development, one of the lowest in the region. For comparison, India allocates nearly 0.7%, while advanced countries like South Korea and Israel allocate over 4%. This lack of funding impacts not only the infrastructure and resources available to PhD candidates but also the quality of research produced. Many students are forced to work with outdated equipment, insufficient access to academic journals, and limited opportunities for fieldwork, all of which contribute to the substandard nature of their research.
Prominent figures in the academic community have voiced their concerns about the current state of PhD programs in Pakistan. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, a leading scientist and former Chairman of the HEC, has been a vocal critic of the declining standards in higher education. He argues that while the number of PhDs has increased, the quality has deteriorated drastically. “Quantity without quality is meaningless. We are producing more PhDs, but their research is often irrelevant, outdated, or plagiarized,” Dr. Rahman stated in a recent interview. He further highlighted the need for rigorous reforms in the PhD process, including better training for supervisors, stricter screening of candidates, and stronger anti-plagiarism measures.
The crisis is not just about the lack of funding or poor supervision; it is also about the broader academic environment in Pakistan. Many PhD candidates are not encouraged to pursue original or innovative research. Instead, they are often directed to take on projects that are either redundant or fail to address contemporary issues in their fields. As a result, much of the research produced is deemed “useless” by international standards. A recent review of PhD theses by the University of Punjab found that nearly 30% of the dissertations lacked any significant contribution to the field of study, with several cases of outright plagiarism being discovered.
This issue of plagiarism is another major challenge facing Pakistani PhD programs. In 2021, the HEC identified over 200 cases of plagiarism in PhD theses across various universities. These cases not only tarnish the reputation of the individual researchers but also harm the credibility of Pakistan’s academic institutions on the global stage. The HEC has implemented stricter plagiarism checks, but without a fundamental change in the academic culture, this problem is likely to persist.
Despite these challenges, there are some signs of hope. The government, in collaboration with the HEC, has begun taking steps to improve the quality of PhD programs. In 2021, the HEC introduced new guidelines for PhD admissions, requiring candidates to have published at least two papers in internationally recognized journals before completing their degrees. This move aims to ensure that PhD students are actively engaged in meaningful research throughout their academic journey. Moreover, several universities have begun forming partnerships with foreign institutions to provide better training for supervisors and offer PhD candidates more exposure to global research standards.
However, these efforts may take years to bear fruit, and there is still much work to be done. The role of the private sector in supporting research and development also remains minimal in Pakistan. In contrast to countries like India and China, where private companies actively collaborate with universities to fund research projects and provide resources, Pakistan’s private sector contributes very little to academic research. According to the PCST, private sector investment in research was less than 0.1% of GDP in 2022. Without greater involvement from the private sector, the burden of improving the quality of research will continue to fall on the government, which is already stretched thin.
The crisis facing Pakistan’s PhD programs is a symptom of deeper systemic issues in the country’s higher education sector. While the number of PhD graduates has increased, the quality of their research often fails to meet international standards, leading to high rejection rates and a tarnished academic reputation. Addressing this crisis will require a multi-faceted approach, including better funding, improved supervision, stricter plagiarism checks, and a stronger research culture. Without these reforms, Pakistan risks producing more PhDs with qualifications that are, ultimately, irrelevant both at home and abroad.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Coverpage’s editorial stance.
