University of Agriculture Swat awards scholarships to students

MINGORA: The University of Agriculture Swat on Saturday awarded scholarships to deserving and outstanding students under various programmes.

The awards were distributed at a grand ceremony which was presided over by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Dawood Jan.

The ceremony opened with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Prof Dr Hidayatur Rahman, followed by formal proceedings conducted by Prof Dr Jamal Khan, who served as the stage secretary.

The event was attended by a large number of faculty members, students, and staff.

In his address, Vice-Chancellor Drtudent Dawood Jan reaffirmed the university’s commitment to student welfare, academic excellence and inclusivity.

He said that the university is financially sound and has successfully established five endowment funds, one of which is dedicated exclusively to student scholarships.

He revealed that this scholarship fund alone holds over Rs110 million, underlining the university’s prioritization of financial assistance to students from diverse backgrounds. He emphasised that education should not be a privilege limited by socio-economic barriers and reaffirmed the administration’s vision to promote national integration, climate responsiveness, academic merit, and inclusivity through targeted scholarship initiatives.

The University of Agricultural Swat currently runs several scholarship programmes tailored to different student needs and national priorities. The Diversity and Inclusion Scholarships award five students each from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The scholarship covers full tuition and provides an annual stipend of Rs 40,000. Aimed at enhancing national unity and representation, the programme has so far benefited 10 students.

The Climate Change and Mountain Agriculture Scholarships focus on tackling issues related to climate change and mountain agriculture and offer scholarships to two students from each district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Recipients receive full tuition coverage and Rs 40,000 per annum in stipend. Currently, 49 students are enrolled, with 72 new students expected next semester, increasing the total to 121 beneficiaries per semester. To date, 158 scholarships have been granted under this category.

Merit Scholarships are designed to promote academic excellence and competition and are awarded to top position holders in national education boards (10 scholarships), national award holders (no limit), and the top three students in the university. A total of 31 merit scholarships have been distributed so far, with the number expected to rise to 40 in the upcoming semester.

The Need-Based Scholarships support students from less privileged backgrounds and those with disabilities. Five percent of the total student body qualifies for these scholarships. So far, 70 scholarships have been awarded, with more expected in the near future.

The university has also created a Contributory Students Welfare Fund, aimed at providing additional financial assistance for co-curricular and extracurricular activities, as well as need-based aid.

In addition to its internal programmes, the university administers 219 scholarships under various government-funded programs.