KARACHI: In a significant policy development, Pakistan’s educational authorities have approved a groundbreaking change allowing students who completed their Matriculation in Arts or Humanities to pursue science-based streams at the intermediate level.
According to the new directive, Arts students will now be eligible to enroll in Pre-Medical, Pre-Engineering, Computer Science (ICS), and other science-oriented groups during their intermediate studies.
This decision was finalized during a meeting of the Inter-Board Coordination Committee (IBCC). A formal notification issued by IBCC Director Dr. Shahzad Ali Gill confirmed that the policy will take effect starting from the first annual SSC examinations scheduled for 2026.
The notification highlighted that the move was the result of thorough consultations with and recommendations from key stakeholders, including the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), and the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Education officials hailed the decision as a “historic milestone,” emphasizing that it will create new academic pathways for thousands of Arts students across the country.
Previously, the Punjab education minister announced that both matric and intermediate examinations would be postponed until after Eid-ul-Fitr 2026, The exams, originally set to commence on March 3, are now scheduled to be held after the Eid holidays, providing relief to students during Ramadan and the Eid festivities.
