The admission rate at higher secondary level till 1998 was

The admission rate at higher secondary level till 1998 was (a) 11 (b) 13 (c) 15 (d) 16 ✅ Correct Option: (b) 13 Explanation (200+ words) Till 1998, the admission rate at the higher secondary level in Pakistan was recorded as 13%, meaning that out of the students who completed secondary schooling, only a small proportion pursued higher secondary education (Intermediate level). This low admission rate reflected several national challenges including limited access to colleges, gender disparities, financial constraints, and lack of awareness about higher education benefits. The Government of Pakistan in the 1990s faced major obstacles in expanding educational coverage, particularly in rural areas. The high dropout rate after Grade 10 was due to social norms, poverty, distance from institutions, and low capacity of higher secondary schools. The low 13% rate revealed the need for rapid expansion of colleges, especially for girls. Because of these issues, subsequent education policies emphasized increasing enrollment at the higher secondary level through scholarships, infrastructure development, and establishing more public colleges. Understanding these figures is important for PPSC exams because statistics from 1998 are frequently used as benchmarks for assessing progress in later educational policies such as 2009, 2017, and 2021. 10 PPSC-Relevant Facts 1. Admission rate till 1998: 13%. 2. High dropout rate after SSC. 3. Limited number of higher secondary institutions. 4. Gender disparity was very high. 5. Rural-urban gap influenced enrollment. 6. Financial issues prevented college admissions. 7. Lack of transport was a barrier for girls. 8. Government later increased scholarships. 9. 1998 was the base year for several educational surveys. 10. Expansion of public colleges began after 1998.