How the Ehsaas Scholarship is Empowering Students in Pakistan

With a population of over 200 million, Pakistan is home to one of the largest populations of youth in the world. In fact, nearly 63% of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 25. This demographic presents both a challenge and an opportunity. On one hand, the country must ensure that it has the infrastructure in place to educate and prepare this young population for the future. On the other hand, there is immense potential for the youth to lead the country towards progress and prosperity. However, a lack of financial resources often stands in the way of these aspirations.

Recognizing this need, the Pakistani government has launched several initiatives aimed at providing greater access to education and empowering students from disadvantaged backgrounds. One such initiative is the Ehsaas Scholarship Program, launched in 2019. The program is named after the ‘ehsaas’ philosophy, which means compassion and empathy towards those who are less fortunate. The Ehsaas Scholarship Program aims to provide financial support to students who come from low-income families and cannot afford to pursue their education.

Since its launch, the Ehsaas Scholarship Program has already disbursed over 70,000 scholarships to students across Pakistan. The program is managed by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and offers scholarships for undergraduate studies in 119 universities across Pakistan. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be enrolled in a four or five-year undergraduate degree program at a recognized public sector university. Students must also meet other eligibility criteria related to family income and academic performance.

The scholarship offers coverage for tuition fees, living expenses, and a stipend for books and other academic expenses. This has made higher education more accessible for students who may have otherwise been unable to afford it. Moreover, the Ehsaas Scholarship Program has also partnered with the private sector to provide internship opportunities to scholarship recipients, helping them gain real-world experience and build their professional network.

The impact of the Ehsaas Scholarship Program has been tremendous. The scholarship has enabled thousands of students from low-income families to access education and pursue their dreams. The program has also helped to bridge the social and economic divide that exists in the country, giving students from disadvantaged backgrounds the same opportunities as their peers.

One such success story is of Shafqat Hussain, a scholarship recipient from Lahore who is now pursuing a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET). Shafqat comes from a family of seven, with his father working as a daily wage laborer and his mother as a housewife. The Ehsaas Scholarship has enabled him to pursue his education and focus on his studies without worrying about the financial burden.

The Ehsaas Scholarship Program is just one of the many steps the Pakistani government is taking to empower its youth and provide them with the tools they need to succeed. By investing in education, the government is not only securing the future of its young population but also the future of the country. It is imperative that these efforts continue, and more initiatives are launched to further the cause of education in Pakistan. With the right support and resources, the youth of Pakistan can change the course of the country and lead it towards a brighter tomorrow.