February 11, 2026
1 min read
The rollout of Pakistan’s new grading policy for matriculation and intermediate exams has once again hit a snag, as Punjab and Balochistan have yet to issue official notifications. Despite approval from the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) and later the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC), the two provinces remain hesitant, creating uncertainty with annual exams only weeks away.
Sources say both provincial governments are reluctant to enforce the policy, which was designed for simultaneous implementation across all four provinces and Azad Kashmir starting with the 2026 exams. Sindh’s boards have already begun preparations, while Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad have formally notified the policy.
Under the new rules, passing marks in all subjects for classes IX and XI will rise from 33% to 40%, with separate passing grades introduced for each subject. Education officials warn that without Punjab and Balochistan’s participation, other provinces may also be forced to withdraw, as uniformity is essential for admissions at the university level.
Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah, Executive Director of IBCC, confirmed to The Express Tribune that failure to adopt the policy nationwide would create chaos in higher education admissions. “If two provinces adopt the new system and two continue with the old, universities will face a grading mismatch that could trigger an academic crisis,” he cautioned.
The policy’s synchronized enforcement is critical, as universities plan to set merit lists for bachelor’s admissions based on the new grading system. Any split between old and new policies could leave thousands of students at a disadvantage.
