Decision taken at the meeting of the Inter-Board Coordination Commission in which the presidents of the school boards participate
APWA Government College for Women. PHOTO: JALAL QURESHI/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
In a significant move for the country’s education sector, the Inter-Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) has granted arts students the opportunity to enroll in science streams, particularly pre-medical and pre-engineering, after completing their matriculation.
This groundbreaking move will allow students who complete their enrollment in the Arts group to pursue inter-pre-medical or pre-engineering programs, similar to the system in place at Cambridge.
The decision was finalized at a recent COPIB meeting held in Karachi, which was attended by school board chairmen from Sindh and across the country.
Following the meeting, COPIB issued an official notification on Friday announcing approval of this crucial development.
Before finalizing the decision, consultations were held with several eminent authorities including the Engineering Council of Pakistan, Medical and Dental Council of Pakistan, Higher Education Commission, National Curriculum Council and provincial curriculum authorities.
Their comments were incorporated into the final decision. This collaborative process led to unanimous approval by the COPIB forum.
The new regulations aim to simplify the process for students seeking admission to the university after completing their intermediate studies.
According to the notification, this policy will come into effect from annual examinations 2026. Accordingly, the educational institutions concerned will have to take measures in matters of admission, including establishing minimum cut-off marks/merit or conducting aptitude tests to ensure consistency across the board.
However, final decisions regarding specific admission requirements, such as test thresholds or additional assessments, may be determined by the respective school boards within their governing body or relevant levels of authority.
A copy of the notification has been sent to the chairmen of all school boards in the country.
The reform is expected to open new academic pathways for arts students and provide greater flexibility in their pursuit of higher education in the fields of medicine and engineering.
