The government of Pakistan has officially postponed the rollout of the new grading policy for matriculation (10th grade) and intermediate (12th grade) annual exams by one year. The recent 2025 exams will continue under the existing grading system, while the new grading scheme will now be enforced starting with the 2026 academic session. This delay aims to give students, teachers, and examination boards more time to prepare for the changes.
An official notification issued by the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) confirmed the deferment. The Sindh government had earlier issued its own notification on October 15, 2024, announcing that the new grading system would be implemented from 2025. However, following the latest directive, the policy has been delayed nationwide to ensure a smoother transition for all stakeholders.
Under the new grading scheme, the passing marks for all subjects are raised from 33 to 40 out of 100, affecting students in classes 9 and 11 initially. The system categorizes student performance into detailed grades such as ++A (95-100%), called “Exceptional” with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5.0, A+ (90-94%) as “Outstanding,” A (85-89%) as “Excellent,” B++ and B+ as “Very Good” and “Good,” respectively. Grades C, D, and E correspond to “Fairly Good,” “Above Average,” and “Average.” Notably, students scoring below 40 marks will no longer be labeled “Fail” but instead given the grade “Unsatisfactory” to reduce the negative stigma.
Education experts and boards had raised concerns over the preparedness for this new system, which prompted the government to allow more time for teachers to adjust their teaching methods and for students to adapt. The decision is expected to ensure more accurate assessments and better alignment with international grading standards.
This delay applies to all provinces and education boards across Pakistan, aiming to maintain uniformity and fairness in the grading process for matric and intermediate levels in the upcoming years.