KARACHI: Matriculation examinations across Karachi and the rest of Sindh will begin on March 31, while annual intermediate examinations will commence on April 15, following a decision approved on Thursday by the Sindh Education Department’s Steering Committee.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the Steering Committee chaired by Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah. The committee agreed that the annual examinations for classes IX and X would be held after Eid, starting from March 31, with intermediate examinations to follow after a 15-day gap on April 15.
The committee also approved the start of the new academic session for 2026–27 from April 1. It was further decided that matriculation results would be announced on June 1, while intermediate results would be released by June 15.
Implementation of the Uniform Examination Syllabus introduced in Sindh has been deferred. The committee decided that the syllabus would be enforced for classes IX and X starting from the 2027 annual examinations.
No changes were made to the summer and winter vacation schedules. Summer holidays will continue from June 1 to July 31, while winter holidays will remain from December 22 to December 31. However, the committee noted that if any change to winter vacations is required, another Steering Committee meeting would be convened in April.
During discussions on a possible revision of winter holidays, representatives of Cambridge schools opposed the proposal, stating that their academic calendar follows international timelines and should not be altered. The proposal was subsequently dropped.
It is worth noting that, according to data from the Meteorological Department, winter intensity in Karachi and other parts of Sindh peaks in January, a factor that has previously prompted the Education Department to revise school timings.
