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Foreign students number in KU declined to half

KARACHI: The number of foreign students in Karachi University has decreased by 50 percent since 1994 due to changes in examination rules.

This situation has also created financial problems for the university which has not received development grant from the government for the last 15 years.

Some foreign students when contacted on Saturday said earlier they were to clear 60 percent papers but in middle of 1994 session, the university introduced new rules asking them to pass 80 percent papers to get promotion in next class.

They said male foreign students were not provided better accommodation facilities at KU as there was only one hostel. They had not been issued hostel cards. There are over 150 foreign students studying in the university but only around 20 were living in the hostel.

Foreign students were inclined to go to other universities and colleges of the country where they have better boarding and lodging facilities.

Some female foreign students complained they were not being provided choice food in the University and teacher's attitude was not as proper as with the local students.

Adviser Foreign Student's Affairs of the University Dr Nasir Khan said the University reduced scholarships for foreign students. Law and order situation and high expenses were the reasons for decline in number of foreign students in KU. PPI