One of Sindh's largest universities, the University of Karachi, is struggling financially owing to a deficit of Rs2.101 billion caused by thousands of students across its various programmes who have failed to pay their tuition fees and dues. Hence, the varsity has now decided to penalise the defaulting students by preventing them from sitting exams unless they pay up.
The University of Karachi (KU) has disclosed that some 16,506 students, across its morning, evening, and executive masters of business administration programmes, have not paid their long outstanding dues of more than Rs2,101.5 million from 2020 to 2024. This figure for defaulter students does not include research scholars enrolled in the MPhil/PhD and other postgraduate programmes.
The data was shared during a meeting chaired by KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi on Wednesday at the KU VC Secretariat to review the quantum of defaulting students primarily enrolled in the varsity's evening programme. The meeting was attended by Evening Programmes Director Professor Dr Imran Ahmad Siddiqui, deans of the faculties of Arts and Social Science Professor Dr Shaista Tabassum, Science Professor Dr Musarrat Jahan Yousuf, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Dr Muhammad Haris Shoib, Islamic Studies Professor Dr Zahid Ali Zahidi, Students' Advisor Dr Nosheen Raza, and Finance Director Syed Jehanzeb.
Meeting participants expressed concerns over the sum of unpaid dues and the large pool of defaulting students. Recommending measures to recover the unpaid dues from defaulters, participants suggested that defaulting students should not be allowed to appear for exams and that their admit cards must not be issued. A proposal to cancel the enrollment/degrees of defaulter graduate students was also discussed during the meeting.
Ultimately, it was decided that since the defaulting students had overlooked all opportunities provided by KU to clear their dues, defaulting students from the evening programme who have cleared their dues will be provided with their admit cards and will be allowed to sit the exams. But those who had not, shall not be issued their admit cards or sit their exams. Should any such student manage to sit the exams, their results would be withheld.
Defaulting students
The meeting participants reviewed student payment data from 2020 to 2024. They learnt that the varsity had issued some 36,767 fee vouchers worth Rs3.094 billion. Of this, some 20,261 students paid fees worth Rs992.71 million. However, some 16,506 students owed the varsity some 2.1 billion.
The participants were informed that fee vouchers worth more than Rs1,558.87 million had been issued to 22,575 students in the morning programme. However, only 13,205 students had paid their dues worth over Rs567.32 million, while the remaining 9,370 students had failed to pay their fees worth more than Rs991.54 million, which is yet to be deposited by the students as tuition fees. They were told that only 36.39% of the total tuition fee due was received from students.
Similarly, they were briefed that some 13,425 fee vouchers worth over Rs1,435.04 million were generated for students enrolled in the evening programme. Of these, some 6,543 students had cleared their dues worth Rs385.19 million. However, 6,882 students had not paid their dues worth over Rs1,049.84 million. The varsity's collection was a dismal 26.84% of the total fees due.
Among the executive MBA (weekend programmes), some 767 fee vouchers were issued to students worth over Rs100.30 million. Of this, some 513 students had paid their fees worth Rs40.20 million, whereas 254 students were defaulting on fees worth over Rs60.10 million.
Data provided to the participants of the meeting showed that of the total fees the varsity was owed, it had collected only 40.08%.
Further, it showed that in 2024, fee collection in the evening programme was just 60.1%, whereas out of a total of 2,522 fee vouchers generated, some 1,541 students had cleared their dues, while 981 students were defaulters.
Meanwhile, in 2023, fee collection was around 52.95% when around 3,912 fee vouchers were issued, of which 2,071 students paid their fees and 1,840 were defaulters.
In 2022, fee collection was around 41.53% with around 3,272 fee vouchers issued, of which 1,359 students paid their tuition fees.
The meeting was told that in 2021, about 3,231 fee vouchers were issued, of which students had paid 1,260, but 1,971 students were defaulters, which means only 39% of students paid their fees. In 2020, KU issued 338 fee vouchers, and 242 students paid their fees. Still, 96 students defaulted, reflecting that 71.60% had cleared their dues.
The members were also informed that 151 students, who have graduated, still get fee vouchers. Of these, 70 students had paid their dues, while 81 former students were still defaulting on their payments, showing that 46.36% of ex-students have paid their dues.