Pakistan’s university enrolment has declined sharply after years of steady growth, with the total number of students falling by around 262,000 from its peak level.
According to Gallop Pakistan, university enrolment in the country reached 2.23 million in 2020-21 before dropping to an estimated 1.96 million in 2024-25. That represents a decline of 11.8% over three years.
The drop marks a reversal from the strong growth seen during the previous decade. University enrolment had risen consistently from 1.30 million in 2014-15 to 2.23 million by 2020-21, adding more than 900,000 students during that period as higher education capacity expanded and access improved.
However, the upward trend did not last. After hitting its high point in 2020-21, enrolment fell to 1.94 million in 2022-23 and has only recovered slightly since then, with the latest estimate putting it at 1.96 million.
The decline has come during a period of economic strain marked by high inflation, rising education costs, currency depreciation, uncertainty in the job market, and growing outward migration. The figures suggest that while Pakistan spent years expanding university access, the bigger challenge may now be keeping students enrolled and making higher education worthwhile in economic terms.
The analysis is based on higher education enrolment figures published in the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025, covering the period from 2014-15 to 2024-25.
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Source: Gallop Pakistan
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