Empirical Determinations of Female Enrolment Trends in Traditional Verses Non-Traditional Fields of Study in Pakistan

Abstract

Globally, since 1970, positive trends in tertiary education in relation to female enrolment have been observed. Today, at tertiary level female students are much more or close to men in terms of talent and performance. However, female enrollment remains strikingly low in science and technology and a clustering of female students are found in the traditional female field of study. High female representations as engineers, scientist, professors, vice-chancellors, directors of finance, doctors and auditors would also be beneficial for the economy of a country and also for female themselves because having better professional positions in all the fields of life will enhance their economic contribution and upgrade their status in society (Bell, 2009). However, female enrolment is very low in non-traditional courses such as in finance, business, management, law, engineering and technology. Consequently, female representation is observed to be poorest in male dominated professional fields such as engineering and banking. However, female representation is found to be comparatively better in traditional subject based institutions such as in medical universities. Therefore, more female representation is observed as doctors, nurses and teachers. These trends persist all over the world, including Pakistan. There are various direct and indirect factors supposed to be responsible for limited access females have to study and professional fields. Therefore, through data analysis, this research paper focuses to present female enrolment trends in both traditional and nontraditional courses during previous years in Pakistan. This research study also identifies the causes and socio-economic obstacles which deprive females of their right to get education in all fields of study and restricts their access to few professional fields in this modern era.