Pakistan’s higher education sector has witnessed a significant decline in university enrolment after years of steady growth, with the total number of students dropping by nearly 262,000 from its peak level.
According to an analysis by Gallup Pakistan, university enrolment reached 2.23 million students in 2020-21 before falling to an estimated 1.96 million in 2024-25.
The figures represent an overall decline of approximately:
📉 11.8% over three years
A Decade of Growth Followed by Decline
The latest figures mark a reversal from the rapid expansion witnessed during the previous decade.
University enrolment grew consistently from:
📚 1.30 million students in 2014-15
to
🎓 2.23 million students in 2020-21
adding more than 900,000 students during the period as higher education capacity expanded and access to universities improved.
Enrolment Has Yet to Recover
Following its peak in 2020-21, university enrolment dropped to:
📊 1.94 million students in 2022-23
The latest estimate shows only a slight recovery, with enrolment reaching:
📊 1.96 million students in 2024-25
Despite the modest increase, overall enrolment remains well below its peak level.
Economic Pressures Linked to Falling Enrolment
The decline has occurred during a period of considerable economic challenges, including:
- High inflation
- Rising university fees and education costs
- Currency depreciation
- Uncertainty in the job market
- Growing outward migration
Analysts believe these factors have made higher education increasingly difficult to access and sustain for many students and families.
Challenge Has Shifted From Access to Retention
The figures suggest that while Pakistan spent years expanding access to universities, the country’s higher education system now faces a new challenge:
🎓 Keeping students enrolled and ensuring higher education remains economically worthwhile.
The analysis is based on higher education enrolment data published in the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025, covering the period from 2014-15 to 2024-25.
The latest numbers are likely to intensify discussions around education financing, affordability, employability of graduates, and policies aimed at improving student retention in universities across Pakistan.
