Only 0.4% IT students passed the National Skills Competency Test with scores above 80 percent. The findings were presented during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to review higher education standards in the IT sector across the country.
The meeting was informed that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) recently conducted the National Skills Competency Test to assess whether IT graduates possess the skills and expertise required by the job market.
A total of 33,038 students from 190 higher education institutions participated in the examination, which was held under strict monitoring and transparent procedures at centers established in various cities nationwide.
According to the briefing, only 0.4 percent of students secured more than 80 percent marks, while 3.6 percent scored between 68 and 79 percent. Another 13.2 percent obtained between 58 and 67 percent marks, and 21.3 percent achieved scores ranging from 50 to 57 percent. Meanwhile, 61 percent of the participants scored below 50 percent.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the results, the prime minister said it was unfortunate that IT education in most universities was not aligned with modern technological and market demands.
He directed authorities to ensure that training programs offered to students are synchronized with international industry standards and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, and robotics.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also ordered a third-party audit of IT education and training programs being offered in universities across Pakistan. He instructed relevant institutions to present a comprehensive roadmap for educational reforms aimed at equipping young people with advanced digital skills.
Officials informed the meeting that reform efforts in higher IT education had already begun in light of the test results.
The meeting was attended by senior government officials, including Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, HEC Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhtar, and Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan.
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