LAHORE – Punjab boards officially unveiled schedule for 2026 Matric and Intermediate annual examinations, triggering widespread attention after a major revision in dates due to holy month of Ramadan.
Punjab Boards Examination Schedule 2026
| Examination | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Matric | Exams Start | March 27, 2026 |
| Results Announcement | August 6, 2026 | |
| Class 9 Results | September 2, 2026 | |
| Supplementary Exams Start | October 6, 2026 | |
| Supplementary Results | December 8, 2026 | |
| Intermediate | Exams Start | May 20, 2026 |
| Part-I (First Year) Results | August 22, 2026 | |
| Overall Results | September 23, 2026 | |
| Supplementary Exams Start | November 3, 2026 | |
| Supplementary Results | January 12, 2027 |
According to an official circular, the Matric examinations—initially set to begin on March 3—have been postponed to March 27. Despite the delay, the Matric results are expected to be announced on August 6. Meanwhile, Intermediate students will sit their annual examinations starting May 20, with results scheduled for September 23. The boards have also confirmed that Class 9 results will be released on September 2, while First Year (Part-I) results will be announced earlier on August 22.
The examination calendar further outlines the schedule for supplementary exams. Matric supplementary examinations will commence on October 6, with results declared on December 8. Intermediate supplementary exams will begin on November 3, and their results will be announced on January 12, 2027. This timetable will be implemented uniformly across all nine Punjab boards.
Amid these changes, the Punjab Department of Education has granted final approval to a revised admissions policy for the 2026 academic year, alongside a new school calendar and examination framework. The department has also approved the replacement of 29 textbooks for students from Class 6 to Matric. Officials stated that the revised syllabus has been endorsed with only minor changes, and the updated textbooks are scheduled to go to print in December.
The department confirmed that the new academic year will begin on April 1, 2026, while free textbooks for newly admitted students in government schools will be distributed from April 5. Annual examinations for Classes 1 to 7 will be held from March 10 to 22, with results announced on March 31. The Class 8 examination will be conducted as a centralized board assessment beginning February 3. Meanwhile, Matric board examinations will start on March 3, 2026, followed by Intermediate board exams from May 5.
However, behind the official schedules lies a deepening education crisis. During the 2025 academic session, Punjab recorded a staggering 28 million out-of-school children—a number expected to cross 30 million in 2026. The current year has also witnessed a record surge in dropouts from government schools, raising alarm among education stakeholders.
The situation worsened following the privatization of nearly 14,000 government schools, after which a significant number of boys and girls disappeared from formal education. In a striking reversal, owners of 1,400 privatized schools have returned them to the government, citing severely low enrolment—particularly among girls. These schools have now been added back to the list of 4,500 institutions scheduled for privatization in December.
Commenting on the alarming trend, Malik Naseem, President of the All Pakistan Private Schools Association, warned that rising poverty and flawed education policies are pushing more children onto the streets. As a result, increasing numbers of underage boys and girls are abandoning classrooms and entering the labor force, working in restaurants, workshops, and mechanic shops instead of continuing their education.
