Islamabad, Aug 13, 2025: The Inter Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) has revised its policy, allowing students with foreign qualifications who studied additional mathematics instead of biology, along with other essential science subjects, to now secure Science Group equivalence at the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) level.
Previously, such students were placed in the Arts Group, limiting their chances to pursue intermediate-level science or engineering fields. This old rule often blocked capable students from their desired academic track.
IBCC Executive Director Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah explained that the move was taken to protect students interests. He pointed out that the earlier requirement unfairly excluded students from the Science Group just because they had not studied biology, even when their aim was pre-engineering studies.
Dr. Mallah further noted that many top scorers, even those securing above 90 percent marks, were denied Science Group admission under the old system.
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With this new policy, students who chose mathematics over biology at the SSC level can now apply for engineering and other science-based programs in their first year of intermediate studies, opening doors for broader academic opportunities.
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