"The commission announced the National Skill Competency Test on Wednesday, and told universities it's needed "to align academic outcomes with the rapidly evolving demands of the global technology sector." Pakistan's prime minister, Ministry of Technology and Telecommunication, Software Export Board, and Software Houses Association all supported the new exam, which students will sit towards the end of their degrees. The HEC has asked universities to ensure all students sit the test."
"Students who do well will be offered priority access to internships, apprenticeships, and industry certifications. HEC will rank universities based on their students' performance on the test. The regulator is involved in the formulation of curricula used in Pakistan's universities, so those rankings won't necessarily reflect on each institution's teaching choices, although it has clear potential to assess their effectiveness."
"Part of Pakistan's plan is to encourage freelance technology workers to use gig work platforms to find offshore clients, a scheme that, as of 2020, the nation's government once believed could bring in $5 billion of fees every year. That ambition proved unachievable, as by 2025 total annual IT services revenue was just $3.8 billion."
Pakistan's Higher Education Commission introduced the National Skill Competency Test to assess whether IT graduates possess skills valued by employers and to align academic outcomes with global technology demands. Universities must ensure all IT students take the test toward the end of their degrees. The prime minister, Ministry of Technology and Telecommunication, Software Export Board, and Software Houses Association endorsed the exam. High-performing students receive priority for internships, apprenticeships, and industry certifications. HEC will rank universities on student performance; the regulator's role in curriculum formulation means rankings may not strictly reflect teaching choices but can evaluate effectiveness. Pakistan seeks to expand its domestic tech workforce and boost technology services exports, but 2025 IT services revenue reached $3.8 billion, below earlier targets.
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