In a historic move, the Inter Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) has announced that Arts students can now join Pre-Medical and Pre-Engineering programs after completing their matriculation exams. This decision marks an important change in the country’s education system, allowing Arts students to enter science fields, just like students from the Science stream.
The decision was made during an IBCC meeting held in Karachi, where chairmen from educational boards across Pakistan gathered. Following the meeting, the IBCC released an official notification on Friday, confirming the approval of this new rule.
Before the decision was made, the IBCC consulted with important educational organizations like the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Pakistan Engineering Council, the Higher Education Commission, and provincial curriculum authorities. All their suggestions were considered, leading to unanimous approval of the new policy.
Starting from the 2026 annual exams, Arts students will be able to enroll in Pre-Medical and Pre-Engineering courses. Educational institutions will set admission requirements, such as minimum marks or merit thresholds, and may even conduct aptitude tests to ensure fairness and consistency across all institutions.
However, each educational board will have the authority to set the specific admission criteria, like deciding whether to have aptitude tests or not.
This new regulation gives Arts students the chance to explore new career opportunities in fields like medicine and engineering. It also offers them more flexibility when it comes to higher education, which was previously limited to students from the Science stream.