A 57.3% reduction in overseas MS/Ph.D. scholarships

Due to the depreciation of the Pakistani rupee, the government has drastically reduced awards for MS/PhD scholarships overseas.

According to official documents seen by the ProPakistani team, the project, entitled 'Overseas Scholarship for MS/M. Phil, leading to Ph.D., in selected fields (Phase III),' will cost Rs 22,214.578 million and will be completed by 2027.

Initially, the project was to provide 2,000 Overseas Scholarships for MS/MPhil leading to PhD scholarships at an estimated cost of Rs. 22,214.578 million. However, the devaluation of the Pakistani currency has resulted in an increase in the cost of studying abroad.

Despite the same cost, the project scope has been reduced from 2,000 scholarships to 854, resulting in an increase in unit costs per PhD and MS student. This is according to the documents. There are now 711 PhD scholarships instead of 1800, while there are 143 MS scholarships instead of 200, the documents reveal.

Moreover, 200 scholarships for higher education are being offered on a priority basis to countries with reputable Engineering and Technology Universities, so that the country's Technology Universities can develop the necessary teaching faculty.

It is important to note that initially, one US dollar cost Rs. 112, which has now risen to over Rs. 220.