The Punjab government plans to modify scientific matriculation and intermediate test requirements starting next year.

The Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) requires a 66-out-of-200 score to pass each science course in the annual exams. Scientific subjects no longer require 33% in both theoretical and practical assessments to pass.

The provincial administration will also move intermediate and matriculation exams to March of the following school year. An Islamabad IBCC conference changed scientific passing requirements.

The province’s nine intermediate and secondary education board chairs convened to discuss why more students are failing science classes. Due to the high failure rate across boards, an IBCC spokesperson said the committee evaluated the scientific grading method.

Students used to take theory and practical exams separately. Students who did well in theory tests sometimes failed in practise. Under the new requirements, students who fail the practical examination can pass matriculation or intermediate science with 66 aggregate marks in both tests.

Summer heat forces the province’s matriculation and intermediate exams to start in March. These changes aim to improve the province’s education system and give students greater academic options.