An Instrumental Perspective of Higher Education in Pakistan - From Public Good to Commercial Commodity

Oct 15, 2026

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The study analyzes instrumental reason as a cultural ideal within Pakistani higher education institutions, using a qualitative research design and content analysis. Higher education is shown shifting from socially valuable knowledge and a public-good function toward a private commercial commodity measured by financial returns. Degree-selling at varied price levels by private institutions is linked to limited social welfare objectives and harmful effects, including the spread of instrumental thought and replacement of academic, social, and ethical values by commercial considerations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Functions of Higher Education

An Instrumental Perspective of Higher Education in Pakistan: From Public Good to Commercial Commodity Asghar Ali *, Aamir Saeed** and Asif Munir*** Abstract Instrumental reason as a cultural ideal in the context of Pakistani higher education institutions has been analyzed in this study. Qualitative research design was adopted to conduct this content analysis. In instrumental reason, higher education is no longer seen as socially valuable knowledge, but as a private commercial commodity whereby its value is determined in terms of financial returns. Like other commodities, higher education is also considered a commercial commodity (degrees) which are sold at numerous price levels by the private higher education institutions. Which have no objective of social welfare of society, rather it has detrimental implications in terms of its repercussions like development of instrumental thought in individuals. A shift could be observed, from public interest to private interest, replacing academic, social, and ethical values by commercial considerations, and collective social equality to individual instrumental thinking. Keywords: Higher Education, Public Good, Commercial Commodity, Instrumental Reason *Lecturer, Department of Management Sciences, Virtual University of Pakistan. **Assistant Professor, Institute of Administrative Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore *** M. Phil Scholar, Institute of Education and Research, University of the Punjab, Lahore. E-mail: [asifmunir79@gmail.com](asifmunir79@gmail.com) Introduction Higher education serves as a key driving force envisioned to turn the dream of a knowledge-based economy into reality and it also contributes in the attainment of social goals of humanity, creating cohesiveness, and building good human beings (NEP, 2009) . Moreover, it has been playing phenomenal role in the development of nations, in the form of public good, enlightening individuals with cultural values, norms, national interests, and enabling them to serve humanity. Traditionally, it has been considered as public good, benefiting not only the individuals who got education but whole society in terms of its huge returns to the society. This standpoint about higher education has been a dominant school of thought regarding functions and role of higher education as a public good, and it was considered a basic human right in United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ( 1948) . Since 1950s, higher education is neither seen as socially valuable knowledge nor basic human right in many locations around the world, but lucrative commercial commodity (Kauppinen, 2013), which is being traded in the market whereby it’s value is determined in terms of financial returns to the owners of private higher education institutions. Insensitively, the implicit objectives of private higher education institutions are to gain maximum market share in order to earn maximum profits by selling degrees at various price levels, at the cost of quality. In Pakistan, there has been an exponential growth in the private higher education institutions especially after the establishment of Higher Education Commission (HEC) in 2002.The primary role of HEC in Pakistan was to work for the evaluation, improvement and promotion of higher education, by articulating the culture of research and development among the higher education institutions. Moreover, HEC also formulates rules, policies, principles and priorities for higher education institutions in Pakistan for promotion of socio-economic development (HEC Ordinance, 2002) . Moreover, despite HEC regulatory policies and rules, higher education as a commercial commodity is being traded at numerous price levels by the private higher education institutions in Pakistan, which have no objective of social welfare of society. Consequently, just in the last few years, privatization of higher education in Pakistan has caused perplexing concerns. In terms of vanishing higher educati

FAQs

What does the study argue about the role of higher education in Pakistan?

It argues that higher education is shifting from being a public good and socially valuable knowledge to functioning as a private commercial commodity measured by financial returns.

How was the research conducted in this study?

The study used a qualitative research design and employed content analysis to examine instrumental reason in the context of Pakistani higher education institutions.

What implications does the study link to the commercialization of higher education?

It links commercialization to the erosion of social welfare objectives, compromise of quality, and increased individual instrumental thinking—replacing academic, social, and ethical values with commercial considerations.

Oct 15, 2026

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