Sindh announces schedule for matric, intermediate examinations

Sindh – (Web Desk) – The Sindh government has announced that the 2026 academic year across the province will begin on April 1 and will be marked by the theme “Teach for Trees,” aimed at raising environmental awareness among students.

The decision was finalised during a meeting of the Education Department’s steering committee, chaired by Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah at the Sindh Assembly’s Old Building. Minister for Universities and Boards Ismail Rahu also attended the session as a special participant.

During the meeting, the committee approved key matters related to the new academic year, including the academic calendar, examination schedule, school timings, holidays, and other education-related issues.

According to the approved plan, examinations up to Grade 8 will be held in March as per routine, even during Ramadan. Matric exams for Grades 9 and 10 are scheduled from March 31 to April 15, 2026, while intermediate examinations for Grades 11 and 12 will take place from April 15 to April 30, 2026. The committee also confirmed that intermediate results will be announced on June 1.

It was further decided that summer vacations will be observed in June and July, while winter holidays will fall in the last ten days of December.

As head of the steering committee, the education minister instructed schools to encourage students to plant trees within school premises or designated areas and take responsibility for their care. He said this initiative would help make schools more child-friendly and environmentally responsible.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the implementation of decisions taken in the previous academic year and stressed the need to further improve the effective execution of the academic calendar.

He stated that 2025 was observed as the year of steam education in Sindh, which yielded positive results. He added that if approximately ten million students in Sindh planted one tree each, ten million new trees could be grown across the province.

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In view of climate change, a sub-committee of the Steering Committee will be formed to consult all stakeholders and present recommendations regarding possible adjustments to the holiday schedule, which may be considered for the academic year 2027.

The meeting directed authorities to ensure the timely conduct of board examinations and avoid any delay in the announcement of results. All educational boards were instructed to implement the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) system to enhance transparency and improve examination outcomes.

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Minister for universities, Ismail Rahu, also directed board chairmen to increase the use of technology in examination processes to minimise human involvement and improve result efficiency.

In the meeting, it was also decided to include sports and other co-curricular activities in the annual academic calendar to promote students’ creativity and overall development.