Making a career in social sciences in Pakistan

In Pakistan, 64 per cent of the nation is younger than 30 years and 29 per cent of Pakistanis are between the age group of 15 and 29. In the overall national scenario only four percent students have access to university education. The total male enrolment in the universities is 0.881 million (56%), whereas, the female enrolment is 0.695 million (44%).

Lack of career counselling and the government's inattention to the advancement of social sciences are primary reasons for the decline of humanities in Pakistan.

In Pakistan, a very common perception among students is that sociology, history, political science, psychology other social sciences fields are not career-oriented and students with low grades secure admissions in social sciences. Particularly boys who continue higher education with certain societal pressures in mind to bring long-term economic stability and prosperity to their families consider social science, not worth learning or productive for the future. On the other hand, girls are also not encouraged to study social sciences. They pursue higher education to get a degree as soon as possible before getting married.

At primary and secondary levels, schools and colleges do not give importance to the teaching and curriculum of social studies, as they encourage students to secure good grades in science, mathematics and computer. When students step into higher education, they are not familiar with a multitude of options other than STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines. Hence when they end up getting admissions in social sciences they have no prior knowledge and understanding of their field of study, and they decide to switch to departments they think have worth in the job market.

The study of social science is perceived as merely limited to book reading. Instead, there is much more to do in the field as in natural sciences. The study of history is not about memorisation of dates, wars and names of historical personalities these trivialities are not at all included in the course objectives. The discipline equips you with an in-depth understanding of significant events in world history that shaped contemporary issues. History enables us to devise well-thought strategies and solutions to our problems.

Students of journalism in Pakistan are not well-trained in their area of study. They are not provided with technical facilities and adequate training. A huge number of students desire to get a job at a reputable media outlet but when they step into their field to seek opportunities they find themselves lacking the capabilities required to perform tasks at the job. However, there are several opportunities for students of journalism other than media outlets, advertising agencies, public relations and press information departments can also be included in lucrative career options.

There are some of the most significant issues human societies are grappling with across the world. Disciplines of sociology, psychology and philosophy can help a lot in evaluating modern-day crises through a thorough study of human behaviour; these subjects are crucial in offering sustainable resolve to our dilemmas. Most popular and impactful figures of history including scientists and economists, all were highly educated in philosophy. Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Isaac Newton, Avicenna and Albert Einstein are a few names that we can mention.

The teaching and training in social science departments of universities in Pakistan are inadequate and educational institutions cannot contribute to enhancing career opportunities for students. Therefore, social science students must be proactive in acquiring education and expertise and seek as many opportunities as possible.

Overall, the future of social sciences is likely to be characterised by a continued emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, data-driven research, and a focus on addressing pressing global challenges, which only special scientists can face and devise strategies to mitigate them. For this we need skilled social scientists in the future.