Sindh has abolished marks-based exams for matric and inter, introducing an international-style grading system that starts with Classes 9 and 11 from 2026.
Marks-Based Exams Replaced With International Grading
The Sindh government has formally scrapped the decades-old marks-based system for matric and intermediate examinations and approved a new grading framework that follows international standards. The announcement was made by Sindh Minister for Universities and Boards Ismail Rahoo, who confirmed that numerical scores will now give way to a structured grade-based evaluation. Under the revised policy, students securing less than 40 percent marks will be declared failed, ending the previous practice where lower passing thresholds were sometimes applied.
According to the minister, the core aim of the reform is to modernise the examination system and ensure a more fair and transparent assessment of student performance. Rather than focusing narrowly on exact marks out of 100, the new model groups student achievement into clear grade bands. This change is expected to reduce unhealthy competition over one or two marks, and bring Sindh’s boards closer to international school systems where grading scales, not raw marks, are the main reference point for universities and employers.
Phased Implementation for Matric and Inter Exams
The new grading system will not be imposed all at once. Instead, Sindh has opted for a phased rollout to allow students, teachers, and examination boards time to adjust. In the first phase, the revised grading structure will apply to the annual examinations of Class 9 and Class 11, starting from 2026. This means that students entering these classes in the coming academic year will be among the first to receive grade-based result cards instead of traditional mark sheets.
In the second phase, scheduled for 2027, the system will be extended to Class 10 and Class 12 exams. By that time, an entire matric and inter cycle will have shifted to the new model. Education boards in Sindh will use the intervening period to update software, train marking staff, align paper patterns where needed, and run awareness campaigns so that students and parents clearly understand how grades will be calculated and reported.
New Grade Bands From A++ to Emerging D
Under the approved structure, student performance will now be reported as grades rather than raw marks. The grading scale is divided into multiple bands that recognise very high achievers as well as those who are still developing. The official grade categories are as follows:
- A++: 96% to 100%
- A+: 91% to 95%
- A: 86% to 90%
- B++: 81% to 85%
- B+: 76% to 80%
- B: 71% to 75%
- C+: 61% to 70%
- C: 51% to 60%
- D (Emerging): 40% to 50%
- Any student scoring below 40 percent will be considered unsuccessful.
The introduction of mid-level bands such as A++, B++, and C+ is meant to differentiate between levels of performance more precisely than a simple A–B–C scale. At the same time, the “Emerging” D category from 40 to 50 percent signals that a student has met the minimum passing standard but still needs improvement to reach higher proficiency levels. Boards will reflect these grades on result cards so that students, parents, and schools can see exactly where performance stands within the wider scale.
What the New System Means for Students, Parents, and Schools
Sindh’s education authorities believe that a transparent grading system will make it easier to compare results across different boards and years, and reduce confusion for universities that admit students from multiple regions. For students, the change may lower pressure around tiny mark differences and shift attention toward broader learning outcomes. Knowing that a grade band, rather than a single exact mark, will be reported can also help reduce anxiety during board exams.
For parents and schools, the new framework will require some adjustment in how success is defined. Instead of celebrating a specific score, they may need to focus on helping students move from one grade band to the next. Teachers will have to align their internal tests and reporting with the board’s grading scale so that students receive consistent feedback throughout the year. Over time, this can support more meaningful discussions about strengths, weaknesses, and targeted extra support.
Minister Ismail Rahoo has emphasised that the reform is intended to align Sindh’s education system with modern international practices and improve overall academic standards in the province. If implemented carefully, the new grading system could make results easier to interpret, reduce disputes over marks, and present a clearer picture of student performance for higher education institutions, scholarship bodies, and employers both in Pakistan and abroad.
