The Inter-Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) permits Arts Students to Pre-Medical and Engineering Streams, in a major development in the direction of flexibility in education and inclusion of students. This change of policy allows students of the Arts group in SSC (Matriculation level) to pursue Pre-Medical and Pre-Engineering courses at the HSSC level.
The policy will take effect at the First Annual HSSC Examinations 2026, after all educational boards of Pakistan give their unanimous approval.
Key Highlights of the IBCC Decision
- IBCC Allows Arts Students for Pre-Medical and Engineering Streams
- Arts group SSC students will be eligible to register for FSc Pre-Medical and Pre-Engineering
- Policy applicable from HSSC First Annual Examination 2026 onwards
- Decision approved unanimously in IBCC’s 183rd Forum Meeting (Dec 4–5, 2025)
- Endorsed by major regulatory bodies including:
- Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC)
- Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC)
- Higher Education Commission (HEC)
- National Curriculum Council (NCC)
- Provincial Curriculum Authorities
Merit Criteria and Board-Level Autonomy
While approving the policy, the IBCC forum emphasized the need to maintain academic standards. Educational boards and institutions may implement safeguards such as:
Minimum marks or merit thresholds
Aptitude or placement tests
Other eligibility screening mechanisms
Final decisions regarding such requirements will be made independently by each board, subject to approval from their respective Boards of Governors or competent authorities.
Major Change for O and A Level Students
The forum also approved an important revision to the equivalence framework for O and A Level students:
Students passing two major science subjects at O/A Level will now be granted Science Group equivalence, rather than Humanities
This change aligns equivalence standards more closely with international curricula and student capabilities.
Proposal for a Unified SSC Still Under Review
IBCC members further deliberated on a broader reform proposal to:
Abolish the traditional Arts vs Science division at SSC level
Introduce a single Secondary School Certificate (SSC) with flexible elective subject choices
However, this proposal remains under consultation and will be discussed further in upcoming IBCC meetings before any final decision is made.
IBCC’s Rationale: Expanding Opportunities for Students
The Executive Director, IBCC, Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah, has said that the reforms were instigated by agreement between boards and stakeholders out of the long-term interest of students. He emphasised that, past historical restrictions imposed on good students through restrictive groupings and that academic potential must not be detained in subject grouping at matriculation, as was the case in the HSSC, but at the matriculation. Such a ruling, he said, opens up new avenues to students, fosters equity and academic mobility. He also explained that though the notification shows the emphasis on Pre-Medical and Pre-Engineering, Arts students can now choose any of the streams of HSSC such as ICS and I.Com.
Why This Decision Matters
This policy marks a major shift in Pakistan’s secondary education framework, offering:
Greater academic flexibility
Reduced subject rigidity
Expanded career pathways for Arts students
Alignment with international education practices
Final Takeaway
The IBCC’s 2025 decision represents a progressive move toward student-centered education reform in Pakistan. By allowing Arts students to pursue medical, engineering, and other science-based disciplines at the intermediate level, the policy promotes inclusivity, merit, and equal opportunity.
