The University of Sindh, Jamshoro, disbursed a record Rs525.77 million in scholarships among 1,074 students in a first-of-its-kind mass distribution, with the scholarships sourced from various government departments, at a ceremony held at the main auditorium of the Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Convention Centre here on Monday.

The cheques were distributed by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Sindh Chairman Dr S.M. Tariq Rafi and Sindh University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Marri (TI).

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Sardar Shah stressed the need for career counseling for students before they enrolled in universities and said many young people chose fields according to the wishes of their elders rather than their own aptitude and interests.

“We often study one thing and end up becoming something else because of the absence of proper career counseling,” he said and recalled that he had started writing poetry after entering college but was enrolled in civil engineering.

He said proper career counseling could help universities admit students according to their aptitude and interests, ultimately producing a more skilled and capable workforce for the country.

The minister said the purpose of education was not merely to secure employment but to develop awareness, critical thinking and a broader understanding of society. He urged students to focus on quality education instead of making a job their sole objective.

He also called for scholarships to be awarded strictly on merit and said the Sindh government had recruited around 100,000 teachers on a merit-based system. He cited the example of a candidate who secured a position in the recruitment process despite belonging to a village that did not even have a school.

Speaking about the changing nature of employment, he said the world was rapidly moving towards artificial intelligence (AI), which could reduce the demand for conventional jobs.

“If a robot can perform the work of five people, why would an organization need to employ five people?” he asked, urging young people to acquire education and skills in science, particularly computer science and artificial intelligence, to meet future challenges.

Mr Shah clarified that he was not opposed to AI and said some of his recent remarks about artificial intelligence had been presented out of context. He said expertise in science and modern technology would enable young people to remain relevant in an increasingly changing job market.

Referring to Iran's scientific and technological development, the minister said the country had invested in science education and developing laboratories. He said former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had encouraged the promotion of science education and laboratories and personally visited educational institutions and laboratories.

He said Iran's performance in its conflict with the United States should not be viewed as a miracle but as an outcome of its progress in science, technology and artificial intelligence.

Mr Shah also referred to student movements in Bangladesh and protests by young people in India and said students could play an important role in bringing about social change. He urged Pakistani youth to channel their energies into positive activities, particularly higher education.

HEC Sindh Chairman Dr S.M. Tariq Rafi said higher education was of fundamental importance for the development of the country and society.

He said scholarships were not merely financial assistance but an important step towards helping students realise their dreams. While financial support was essential, he said, the real challenge was ensuring quality education.

“If financial assistance is provided but educational quality does not improve, it will ultimately result in a major loss,” he said, urging educationists and policymakers to seriously consider ways of improving academic standards.

He advised students to work hard and move forward and said that they were the future of Pakistan.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Fateh Muhammad Marri said the primary objective of the scholarship programme was to ensure that no student was forced to discontinue education because of financial difficulties.

“No student of the University of Sindh will now be forced to leave the university merely because of inability to pay fees,” he said.

Dr Marri said university teachers were voluntarily contributing from their salaries through monthly deductions to support scholarships for students. He added that university officers and lower-grade employees had also agreed to contribute from their salaries for the scholarship programme, describing the initiative as a manifestation of commitment and sacrifice for students.

He said the university would further improve its academic and research standards with the support of the Sindh Education Department, the provincial minister for Universities and Boards, HEC Sindh and, particularly, the Sindh chief minister.

Several students also spoke at the ceremony and shared their views about the quality education in the university and the merit-based scholarship programme. They expressed satisfaction with the leadership of the vice-chancellor and the transparency of the scholarship system. They said that financial assistance would help reduce the dropout rate.

Earlier, Assistant Director of the Students Financial Aid Office Qamar Nangraj briefed the gathering on the university's scholarship system and described it as a robust and transparent mechanism. He said cheques amounting to Rs525.77 million had been distributed among 1,074 students on merit.

Pro-Vice Chancellor Main Campus Professor Dr Abdul Sattar Shah, Pro-Vice Chancellor Thatta Campus Prof Dr Misbah Bibi Qureshi, PVC Dadu Campus Prof Dr Anila Naz Soomro, Director Students Financial Aid Office Mian Ahmed Aleem Pasha, Deans of various Faculties, academic and administrative heads, faculty members, officers, employees and a large number of students participated at the ceremony.