The Inter-Board Committee of Chairman (IBCC) has officially accepted a new admissions policy in which Matric Arts students can apply to Intermediate science programs in a landmark decision that has been approved that would benefit thousands of students throughout Pakistan. According to the new regulations, all the students who have finished Matric with humanities subjects now have a chance to apply to FSc Pre-Medical, FSc Pre-Engineering, ICS, and other science based categories in college level.
It is also considered to be one of the major reforms in the education sector in Pakistan, which breaks the barriers that had long existed in the education system and offered Arts-group students the opportunity to pursue only Humanities paths after Matric.
Arts Students Now Eligible for Intermediate Science Streams
The IBCC officials say that all the existing public and private colleges in Pakistan under the education boards can admit the Arts students to the science subjects on the condition that there are seats. After admission, their examinations will be undertaken by the respective education board under the selected group of science.
This allows the previous discordance of having some colleges accepting Arts students into science sets but boards denied them science examination.
Science Equivalence Granted to O/A Level Students
In one of its other significant revisions, the IBCC has confirmed that O and A Level students who took at least two science subjects are now to be awarded IBCC Science Group equivalency certificates.
In the past, this has been a problem with many students taking the O/A Level because of the equivalency constraints, preventing students who desire to study Pre-Medical, Pre-Engineering, or ICS, making it difficult to do so.
This problem is eliminated by the new policy and allows students of the British education system to have equal academic grounds.
Uniform Implementation Across All Education Boards
The IBCC ensured that the new policy will be applied in a similar manner in all boards, including:
- BISE Lahore
- BISE Karachi
- BISE Rawalpindi
- BISE Faisalabad
- BISE Multan
- Federal Board
- BISE Peshawar
- All regional boards nationwide
This reform is a significant move towards an academic system that is flexible, inclusive, and progressive and this is what is referred to as reform by education experts in Pakistan.
A Boost for Academic Flexibility and Career Opportunities
Education experts call this reform a major step toward creating a flexible, inclusive, and progressive academic framework in Pakistan.
Key Benefits of the New Policy:
- Arts students can now pursue science-based careers, including:
- MBBS
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- IT
- Allied Health Sciences
- O/A Level students no longer face equivalence limitations.
- Colleges must now support academic choice rather than impose subject-based restrictions.
The decision has been welcome by most parents, students and educators, and has been termed as a gateway to new learning and career opportunities to students who were formerly limited due to subject combinations that had to be selected at Matric level.
