The University of Peshawar, once regarded as the academic flagship of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, is in the grip of a severe admissions crisis as students increasingly opt for private universities and government colleges. The steep decline is being attributed to an unprecedented hike in semester fees and what students describe as the administration’s apathetic conduct.
This year, the university raised its semester fee by Rs10,000 to Rs15,000, lifting the total cost from Rs42,000 to Rs62,000. The increase has priced thousands of students out of admission, especially those from low and middle-income families.
“It is deeply disappointing that the university has increased fees without justification,” said Furqan Khan, a student. “Education is becoming a privilege for the wealthy, while poor students will be left behind.”
Parents share similar concerns. Ahmad Jan, who runs a small general store, said the burden was becoming unbearable. “Keeping our children in higher education is now a luxury. We are struggling just to keep them enrolled,” he told The Express Tribune.
Official data reveals alarming enrolment figures. Some departments have admitted fewer than ten students: Development Studies (2), Home Economics (2), Logistics and Supply Chain Management (2), Statistics (7), Geography (3) and History (4). Under HEC guidelines, each department must enrol at least 15 students to remain functional.
The University of Peshawar currently houses 54 departments offering 69 programmes, many of which are now operating far below capacity — a development that threatens their long-term viability.
According to Professor Dr Zakirullah Jan, President of the Peshawar University Teachers’ Association, the crisis is rooted in mismanagement as much as financial strain. “On one side, the administration is raising fees; on the other, they are discouraging students through poor public dealing. Visitors do not receive cooperation from staff,” he said.
He added that the university typically enrolled around 18,000 students each year, generating nearly Rs3 billion in revenue. “This year’s collapse in admissions means a major financial crisis. If admissions were delegated to departments instead of centralised, numbers would improve,” he said.
In response, the university has issued a re-admission notice to attract more applicants. A spokesperson insisted that the fee hike still keeps UoP cheaper than other public universities. “We are providing all possible facilities. Even after the increase, our fees remain comparatively lower,” the spokesperson said.
However, students and faculty warn that unless urgent reforms are undertaken — including fee rationalisation and decentralised admissions — one of Pakistan’s oldest public universities risks losing its standing and relevance.
“The university cannot survive by shutting its doors on the very students it was built to serve,” Dr Jan cautioned.
Get the latest education news, admissions updates, and scholarship alerts wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.