I had a chance to sit for an interview for a PhD program at one of Karachi's reputable medical university where I am also working as a research officer. What I found most irritating was their emphasis on my age and marriage plans.They made me feel comfortable throught my interview and made me feel insecured about my age and asked miserable questions like why did not u get enrolled earlier or were u going through some stress or were u affected by any disorder during my one year break after masters.I felt more like giving a zaroorat-e-rishta interview than a PhD interview. Can't we Pakistanis move on from discussing age and marriage in such interviews?
Although I consider the undertone concerning stress and disorders rather pitiful, I personally do not think there’s anything seriously wrong with inquiring about marriage plans and the age question I suppose goes hand-in-hand with that. It is a reality of our culture that we can't deny - girls get married at a certain age and anything can happen after that. I know this is a generalization but someone who's going to be investing resources in you has every right to know whether the investment is worthwhile or not.
Being a Ph.D. student in the final stages of my studies myself (6 – 8 more months inshaAllah – fingers crossed) I can tell you that it’s really a life decision that impacts and is also affected by whatever is happening around you. The professional as well as emotional commitment it requires is a manifold of what you would have experienced in your Masters. Also remember that the University will be investing its resources in you for the duration of your Ph.D. – in terms of direct and indirect costs.You as a student will be getting some type of a scholarship or a stipend, your supervisor and committee will probably be getting course reliefs to take you on as a student, you will require office space, equipment and so on.
So the University wants to make sure that for the next 4 to 5 years, or however long the program is… they’re making the right decision in accepting a candidate that is more likely to finish than someone who will abandon ship due to personal issues. I have personally seen many students drop out in the program because they couldn’t handle the pressure along with whatever else was going on in their lives.