Empirical Measurement of Academic Barriers among the Undergraduate Urdu-Medium Students in the Universities of Balochistan

Abstract

This quantitative study examines the educational challenges faced by female students from an Urdu-medium background pursuing higher education in Quetta, Balochistan. The study sought to investigate the academic difficulties faced by Urdu-medium female undergraduate students studying at public universities in Quetta. It attempted to quantify the level of difficulties experienced by these students in adjusting to English-medium higher education. Furthermore, the study intended to establish the reliability of the Academic Challenges Scale, designed to measure significant areas of academic struggle. Lastly, it attempted to compare levels of academic difficulties between students from the three public universities in Quetta to determine patterns and institutional differences. The sample size consisted of 200 students, with 67 students from the University of Balochistan, 67 from Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University, and 66 from the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences. Data collection was conducted through structured questionnaires by means of purposive sampling to measure students' perceptions regarding academic challenges, language difficulty, and coping mechanisms. The scale was found to be highly reliable (Cronbach's α = .979). The results showed that because of the bilingual education system, Urdu-medium students suffer from academic overload, low self-confidence, and poor academic achievement. Scores of participants were more than the midpoint of the scale, suggesting very high levels of academic difficulty. The study further indicated that BUITEMS students had significantly lower challenge scores compared to UOB and SBK students. Findings are reported with recommendations for specific language support and institutional interventions.