Iran's Minister of Science announced that contrary to existing advertisements, this year there were 'very few' applicants for university admission, with 600,000 seats in the country's universities remaining empty. According to the state news agency IRNA, Mohammad Farhadi said on Friday, November 7, 'Contrary to what is portrayed in advertisements and announcements about university environments and student interest, we faced a shortage of applicants for university admission this year.' He called for the Higher Education Expansion Council to 'constantly' review university capacities and for academic units to be 'specialized and strategic.' Mr. Farhadi noted that some universities in Iran are less than 10 kilometers apart, and some have fewer than 50 students. He emphasized that Payame Noor University has also grown 'excessively and disproportionately.' Previously, Iranian Ministry of Science officials had reported vacancies in some fields at the associate and bachelor's levels in public universities, yet the national entrance exam continues to be held. Reports indicate that the capacity of public universities is 750,000, while 773,000 candidates participated in this year's national exam. In 2016, universities and higher education institutions allocated part of their admission capacity in various fields to admissions based on academic records and without exams. Hossein Tavakoli, a senior advisor to the Assessment Organization, stated on October 30 that this organization opposes the elimination of the entrance exam. According to Mr. Tavakoli, in fields such as mathematics, technical and vocational studies, humanities, and arts, it is possible to eliminate the entrance exam and admit students based on school grades, but 'in fields with high demand such as dentistry and medicine, this option is not available.' Sociologist Majid Mohammadi stated on September 6 in a note on Radio Farda that admission to daily and free courses in the national entrance exam of 2016 has significantly decreased, with tuition-based courses accounting for about four-fifths of admission capacity. Meanwhile, reports indicate that higher education in Iran has no connection to the job market, and according to last year's statistics, 51% of university graduates in Iran are 'inactive.'
Iran's Minister of Science: 600,000 University Seats Are Vacant
Iran's Minister of Science reported a significant drop in university applicants this year, leaving 600,000 seats vacant. This situation raises concerns about the effectiveness of the higher education system and its alignment with job market needs.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iran's Minister of Science announced that 600,000 university seats are vacant due to a significant drop in applicants this year, contradicting previous expectations. He called for a review of university capacities and emphasized the need for specialized academic units.
- Public universities have a capacity of 750,000, but only 773,000 candidates participated in the national exam.
- 51% of university graduates in Iran are reported to be inactive in the job market.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran's higher education system has been criticized for its lack of alignment with job market needs, leading to high unemployment rates among graduates. The reliance on entrance exams and the growth of universities without strategic planning have exacerbated these issues.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%