KARACHI: It was decided at a meeting of the Steering Committee of the Education Department on Thursday that examinations up to Grade 8 will be conducted in March as usual, including during Ramazan, while Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations for Grades 9 and 10 will be held from March 31 to April 15, 2026.

The meeting, chaired by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah at the Sindh Assembly’s Old Building, also approved the schedule for Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examinations.

Exams for Grades 11 and 12 will take place from April 15 to April 30, 2026, while their results will be announced from June 1.

Summer vacations will be observed in June and July, while winter holidays will fall in the last ten days of December.

All educational boards were instructed to implement the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) system to enhance transparency and improve efficiency.

The meeting also approved April 1, 2026, as the start of the new academic year. It also declared 2026 as the year of “Teach for Trees” to promote environmental awareness among students. The minister directed schools to encourage children to plant and care for trees within school premises or designated areas.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2026