Karachi, A recent joint study by Gallup Pakistan and PRIDE has uncovered that around 70% of female engineering graduates residing in Pakistan are either unemployed or have completely withdrawn from the labor force. This study is based on data gathered from the Labor Force Survey 2020-21, covering a diverse group of individuals across various regions of the country who have obtained a Bachelors, MS/M.Sc., M.Phil., or Ph.D. degree in any engineering field.

According to a news release by Gallup Pakistan and PRIDE, the total number of female engineering graduates stood at 28,920. Of these, only 8,146 (28%) were employed, while 6,054 (20.9%) were unemployed and a significant 14,720 (50.9%) were out of the labor force. The study further delved into regional disparities, highlighting that 21.1% of these graduates resided in rural regions, whereas 78.9% were based in urban areas. Employment rates were notably higher in rural regions at 43.9%, compared to 24.0% in urban areas. Conversely, a substantial 59.2% of female engineering graduates in urban regions were out of the labor force, exceeding the national average.

The data revealed intriguing patterns, particularly in terms of marital status and age groups. A significant 64.2% of those out of the labor force were married, and 28.42% were never married. The age bracket of 25-34 years encompassed the largest share of female engineering graduates at 50.9%, followed by the 35-44 years age group at 21.7%.

Bilal Gilani, Executive Director at Gallup Pakistan, emphasized the gravity of the situation, pointing out the substantial investment in education by the government and its underutilization. Dr. Umer Khalid, Director at PRIDE, highlighted the social trend influencing these statistics, suggesting that many pursue professional education primarily to enhance marriage prospects. He urged the government to reassess its seat allocation policies in public sector engineering colleges and universities to ensure value for the significant investments made.

This research is a part of a series of reports aiming to provide data-driven insights for policy formulation in Pakistan. It utilizes the Labour Force Survey 2020-21 conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, which collected data from nearly 99,900 households across the country, providing district-level representative results for the first time.