Every student wants to succeed; every young one dreams of having a great career, respect, and financial stability. Unfortunately, the truth is that success demands effort, hard work, and time, and our students are not putting in the manner that is genuinely required. We blame the system, corruption, and lack of opportunity – that is not good and not a solid reason because today we are producing empty graduates. Today students spend years chasing marks, skipping books, using AI, relying on shortcuts, spending and wasting time on social media by scrolling, skipping lectures, and becoming panicked during exams. They leave universities with degrees in hand but no skills in mind – and then they wonder why the world does not take them seriously.
From school to university, many students focus on one thing only – passing exams with good marks. Their aim is not to get the knowledge and understand a concept but to secure grades. For this, they depend only on last-minute notes, past papers, and cheating. Now in the era of science, they use AI tools to obtain short and easy data for good marks. Instead of reading books and building real knowledge, they focus on quick answers and instant summaries.
All academic events such as seminars, workshops, and lectures – designed to build professional knowledge – are often overlooked; but concerts, trips, and functions? They always attend, as they are managed mainly by themselves. This imbalance between fun and focus leads to failure, which may be temporary or permanent. Students enjoy the whole semester but become panicked during exams and repeat the cycle with every subsequent exam.
When these students graduate, they hold a degree – but not the skills, insight, or confidence that a degree is supposed to represent. This (i.e no skills, no confidence, and no insight) is not suitable and is very dangerous for the professional fields like medicines, law, and pharmacy, where lives and legal systems are so sensitive that they can be affected by a single mistake.
As a student of Doctor of Pharmacy, I have seen many students in my profession who depend entirely on AI and Google for assignments and exams preparation. They rarely open the books for the exams. But the truth is: a doctor or pharmacist cannot afford to be half-trained. A single error in dosage preparation, diagnosis, or calculation can lead to irreversible harm. In such fields, shortcuts mean death, and there is no reversibility for death.
After graduation, these empty graduates step into the job market. They apply for the job and positions, attend interviews, and face rejection after rejection. They cannot even explain their field confidently, cannot speak fluently, and often do not even know the basics of their profession. And then the blaming begins: “There are no jobs,” “Pakistan is corrupt,” “Only sifarish (references) work,” etc.
Yes, corruption and inequality occur in Pakistan – but many of these students are facing due to their negligence and their own choices. If you have never appropriately studied, and never practiced your skills, never built your confidence – how can you expect success in professional fields?
Where the students are responsible for this act, teachers, and academic institutions are also on the same page and are responsible for this act. Many in turn pay no heed to cheating, laziness, and the examination system of the institution. Instead of raising the academic standard, they prefer to maintain an outstanding system that keeps everyone happy but unprepared for the future. A teacher who does not challenge students, enforce rules, or transfer real knowledge silently contributes to a national failure that can also be called: “Silent killer of our youth.”
If our educators had consistently held students accountable and universities prioritized learning over numbers, Pakistan would have a generation of skilled, confident professionals today, those who can lead Pakistan on the way to success and a developed country.
It is the time to confront the truth. No system, no government, and no teacher can save a student who is not willing to put in the effort. Success is earned – not gifted. For everything you have to pay for, nothing is free in the world. For success, you have to pay in the form of hard work, focus, time, energy, and everything that is important to you and is a barrier to your success. You have to work hard and be an expert in your field, and profession.
If we want to change the outcome, we must change the process. Students need to return to real study, embrace discipline, and take responsibility for their future. Teachers must also enforce strict standards, inspire curiosity, and never compromise on integrity.
Degrees are meant to represent knowledge, not just completion. Until students take their education seriously and teachers hold them to high standards, the shortcut culture will continue to produce hollow graduates – and, with it, a hollow future. We should change our approach and aim to produce young graduates who are perfect and expert in their field and profession and are recognized for their work and success in their respective fields.
