Inter Board Coordination Commission relaxes equivalence criteria for foreign-board students with two science subjects

Inter Board Coordination Commission relaxes equivalence criteria for foreign-board students with two science subjects.

Key points

• Kashif Abbasi Published September 5, 2026 Updated September 5, 2026 08: 58pm.
• Speaking on examination reforms, IBCC Executive Director Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah appreciated the Punjab administration for the merit-based appointment of chairpersons of examination boards.
• Kashif Ali Abbasi is an Islamabad-based reporter for Dawn with 17 years of experience in journalism.
• According to the press release, National Coordinator of the IBCC Forum Inayatullah Waseem emphasised the importance of active participation and collective ownership of examination reforms.
• These decisions were created during the 184th IBCC Forum gathering in Murree.

Kashif Abbasi Published September 5, 2026 Updated September 5, 2026 08: 58pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

ISLAMABAD: The Inter Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) on Saturday decided that Science Group equivalence would be awarded to students of foreign boards who had passed at least two science subjects, providing greater flexibility in academic pathways.

Similarly, the forum recommended 12 extra Deeni Madaris for equivalence of their qualifications with SSC and HSSC, bringing the total number of institutions under the equivalence framework to 26. It additionally agreed to include B-Form/CNIC numbers on SSC and HSSC certificates, making academic records easier to identify, access and verify.

Additionally, the commission will offer scholarships and overseas exposure opportunities to board toppers, besides arranging winter and summer camps for high-achieving students to provide them with broader learning, leadership and exposure opportunities.

"The two-day IBCC Forum concluded in Murree with a series of important decisions aimed at transforming Pakistan's examination system from rote learning towards conceptual assessment, while improving transparency, uniformity and international recognition of Pakistani qualifications, " a press release remarked.

It continued that chairpersons from Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISEs) nationwide, technical education boards, and senior representatives of curriculum and textbook boards had come together for the gathering.

He remarked the IBCC Forum provided an notable national platform for boards to learn from one another, share successful practices and develop common solutions to challenges faced by the examination system.

In practice, the national coordinator additionally stressed that greater coordination among boards and consistent implementation of agreed reforms were essential for ensuring fairness, quality and public confidence in examinations nationwide.

"A major focus of the forum was the implementation of the prime minister's directives for standardisation of the examination system nationwide. The forum adopted measures for greater uniformity in assessment and examination practices. It will additionally backing the credibility and international recognition of Pakistani qualifications, " the press release noted.

It stated that the forum was informed that examination boards in Sindh, the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), the AJK Board, the KIU Board, the Aga Khan Board and the Ziauddin Board had implemented the new grading policy, under which the minimum passing marks had been rose to 40 per cent. Awareness sessions and workshops would additionally be organised to facilitate implementation of the revised grading formula nationwide.

Meanwhile, the forum agreed to develop a uniform calendar for theory and practical examinations and formulate common guidelines and procedures for practical examinations to ensure greater consistency, fairness and transparency throughout examination boards.

During the session, BISE Kohat, BISE Quetta and FBISE presented their best practices, innovative initiatives and outcomes for feasible adoption and replication by other boards.

Speaking on examination reforms, IBCC Executive Director Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah appreciated the Punjab administration for the merit-based appointment of chairpersons of examination boards. He observed that competent professional leadership was adding value to the IBCC Forum and strengthening the national effort to shift examinations from rote learning towards conceptual assessment.

Dr Mallah additionally appreciated the Sindh administration and chairpersons of Sindh examination boards for implementing e-marking throughout the province, describing it as an notable step towards greater transparency, efficiency and credibility in the examination system.

He emphasised that the reforms being pursued through the IBCC Forum were part of a broader national effort to develop an examination system that tests understanding rather than memory, rewards genuine learning, embraces technology, and strengthens the national and international credibility of Pakistani qualifications.

Kashif Ali Abbasi is an Islamabad-based reporter for Dawn with 17 years of experience in journalism. He covers sports, the education sector, and civic problems. He can be discovered on X at @AbbasiKashif833.

Taken together, the developments around inter Board Coordination Commission relaxes equivalence criteria for foreign-board students with two point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.