Universities unprepared for students who work while studying

Many students entering higher education institutions are already working, but universities have not adapted schedules, assessments or credit systems to accommodate them. The traditional model assumes students study full-time before entering the workforce, yet data shows a growing number take jobs during their courses to support themselves or gain experience. Institutions continue to offer rigid timetables, limited online options and few mechanisms to convert work experience into academic credit.

This gap leaves working students balancing attendance requirements against job hours, often without institutional support. The University Grants Commission has encouraged flexible learning pathways, but implementation remains uneven across colleges and universities. Without structural changes, the system risks excluding the very students it aims to serve. Policymakers and educators must now decide whether to redesign the academic calendar, assessment methods and credit frameworks to match the reality of a learning-and-earning student body.