LAHORE: The federal government has recommended Matric arts students to get admission to FSc (Pre-Medical, Pre-Engineering), ICS, and Diploma of Associate Engineering (DAE) programmes.

The recommendation was given in 182nd meeting chaired by IBCC Executive Director Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah held at the Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE), Lahore, on Monday.

IBCC Director Dr Shahzad Ali Gill briefed the participants on the agenda items.

During the session, the committee recommended that students of the Matric arts group should be permitted to seek admission to FSc (Pre-Medical, Pre-Engineering), ICS, and Diploma of Associate Engineering (DAE). The proposal aims at broadening access to scientific and technical education for arts students and provide them with equal opportunities for academic and professional growth. The final decision will be made in the upcoming IBCC forum meeting.

The committee also proposed that from 2026 onwards, 50pc of examination papers should consist of MCQs-type questions to make the evaluation process more transparent and standardised. It also discussed reforms in the grading and division system for new Matric tech courses, along with procedures for students appearing under multiple boards and the integration of technical boards into provincial BCCs.

Speaking on the occasion, PBTE Secretary Hafeez said that arts students in Pakistan had long faced limited options in scientific and technical disciplines.

“The meeting has opened new possibilities and hope for them,” he said and added that a major announcement from the IBCC Forum for Arts students would follow soon.

The meeting formed a sub-committee to review reforms of the examination systems at the Matric and intermediate levels. Senior representatives from various educational boards, including FBISE Chairman Dr Ikram Ali Malik, Lahore PBTE Secretary Muhammad Hafeez, Swat KPBBCC/BISE Chairman Prof Tasbeeh Ullah, Mirpur Group BCC/AJK BISE Chairman Prof Nazar Hussain Chaudhry, Karachi SBCC/BISE Chairman Faqeer Muhammad Lakho, Quetta BISE chairman’s representative, Peshawar KPBT&CE Chairman Dr Hazrat Hussain, Karachi SBTE Chairman Prof Musharraf Ali Rajput, IBCC Deputy Director Muhammad Nadeem Hafeezur Rehman, PBTE Deputy Secretary and PBTE Senior Research Officer Shehzad Javed.

The participants described the meeting as a significant step towards expanding educational pathways and bridging the gap between general and technical education streams.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2025