Federal Board approves grading structure instead of marks: Here’s what to expect

The Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) Islamabad has officially agreed to a new grading policy and marking systems. By this structure, students will be assigned grades rather than numerical marks, and the conventional first, second, and third position ranks will be eliminated.

The new grading scheme is scheduled to be implemented next year, but the school boards of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh have not yet adopted it. The purpose of this move is to modernize the evaluation method by focusing on students’ overall performance instead of numerical competition.

Breakdown of New Grading System

Based on the formula set by the Inter Boards Committee of Chairmen for the new grading policy:

• A++ (Exceptional): 95 and above
• A+ (Excellent): 90-94
• A (Excellent): 85-89
• B++ (Very Good): 80-84
• B+ (Good): 75-79
• B (Fairly Good): 70-74
• C (Above Average): 60-69
• D (Average): 50-59
• E (Below Average): 40-49
• F (Unsatisfactory): Below 40

The new grading scheme is also being approved in Sindh, according to Abbas Baloch, secretary of the Sindh Universities & Boards. A formal notification is scheduled to be published within two days.

Starting in 2025, all school boards in Sindh will have to follow this policy when conducting exams for classes 9 and 11. The tests will use the new grading system.

Ziauddin University Examination Board’s Executive Director Dr. Nasir Ansar has verified that the private board is ready to administer tests for grades nine and eleven in accordance with the new grading criteria starting in the year 2025.

The minimal passing percentage has been set at 40%, encouraging students to concentrate more on their studies and gain a better understanding of their subjects.