Grading System in Pakistan
See the most common: UAF Grading System, Comstats Grading System
Have you ever stared at a report card—a jumble of marks, percentages, and letter grades—and wondered what it all really means? One school might use ‘A+’ while another uses ‘A-1,’ and universities often ask for a ‘GPA’ that local schools don’t provide. From how raw marks become percentages to how university GPA impacts admissions. Let’s Discuss.
While the landscape seems complex, understanding it is straightforward. By breaking down each component, you can confidently interpret any marksheet and know exactly where you or your child stands academically.
The grading system in Pakistan is used to evaluate student performance at different academic levels, including secondary education, intermediate programs, and universities. While the core purpose remains the same, to measure academic achievement, the grading criteria, scales, and calculation methods vary across boards and institutions.
New Updated Policy of Pakistan Grading System 2026 (in progress)
Pakistan’s grading system has shifted towards a newer 10-point system for secondary (SSC/HSSC) levels (A++ to U, passing at 40%), replacing the older 7-point A1-F scale, while universities often use a 4-point GPA scale with letter grades (A+, A, B, etc.) linked to percentage ranges and GPA points, reflecting performance from exceptional to fail. The Inter Boards Coordination Committee (IBCC) introduced the updated 10-point scale for Matric (9-10) and Intermediate (11-12) exams.
Overview of the Pakistani Education Grading Structure
Pakistan follows multiple grading formats depending on the level of education:
Matric and Intermediate: Percentage and marks based system
Universities: GPA and CGPA based credit hour system
Most public and private universities in Pakistan follow the HEC recommended semester system, which uses Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).
From Percentages to Grades: Decoding the BISE A-1, A, and B System
That final percentage is converted into an official letter grade by your regional Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), the governing body for exams in areas like Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. These boards use standardized percentage brackets to assign grades.
The BISE grading criteria, long-used for top university admissions, are based on this breakdown:
- A-1 Grade: 90% and above
- A Grade: 80% to 89%
- B Grade: 70% to 79%
- C Grade: 60% to 69%
- D Grade: 50% to 59%
- E Grade: 40% to 49%
This system is evolving. The Federal Board recently introduced a new grading system for its schools, shifting from percentages to a 10-point Grade Point Average (GPA) model to better align with university standards.
University Grading System in Pakistan
At the university level, the grading language shifts to a Grade Point Average (GPA). A GPA is an average score for a single semester, standardized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). Each letter grade is assigned a point value on a 4.0 scale (e.g., an A is 4.0, a B is 3.0), and the GPA is the average of these points across all subjects for that term.
You will also encounter the term CGPA, or Cumulative Grade Point Average. While GPA reflects one semester’s performance, CGPA is the running average of all semester GPAs combined. It provides a comprehensive picture of your entire academic performance, making it the most important number on your university transcript.
Passing Criteria in Pakistani Universities
Most universities require:
Minimum 50% marks or Grade D to pass a course
CGPA of 2.00 or above to continue the degree
Failing a course results in an F grade, which carries zero grade points and must usually be repeated.
Grades According To Percentage In Pakistan
| Letter grade | Percentages | Description | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| A++ | 95-100% | Exceptional | 5.0 |
| A+ | 90-94% | Outstanding | 4.7 |
| A | 85-89% | Excellent | 4.3 |
| B++ | 80-84% | Very good | 4.0 |
| B+ | 75-79% | Good | 3.7 |
| B | 70-74% | Fairly good | 3.3 |
| C | 60-69% | Above average | 3.0 |
| D | 50-59% | Average | 2.0 |
| E | 40-49% | Below average | 1.0 |
| U | < 40% | Unsatisfactory | 0 |
Relative Grading vs Absolute Grading
Absolute Grading
Based on fixed percentage criteria
Most commonly used in Pakistan
Relative Grading
- Performance compared with class average
- Used occasionally in competitive programs
The majority of Pakistani universities follow absolute grading, ensuring transparency and consistency.
See Below Grading System of Some Big Pakistani Universities
See below the two tabs to help you identify your university alphabetically.
BISE Bahawalpur
| PERCENTAGE OF MARKS | GRADE | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|
| 80% Marks and above | A+ | Exceptional |
| 70% and above but below 80% | A | Excellent |
| 60% and above but below 70% | B | Very Good |
| 50% and above but below 60% | C | Good |
| 40% and above but below 50% | D | Fair |
| Below 40% to minimum Pass Marks | E | Satisfactory |
BISE Gujranwala
| Grades | Percentage of Marks | Marks | Percentage of Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRADES / DIVISION FORMULA) | |||
| A+ | 80 % or above marks | 880 or above marks | Outstanding Marks |
| A | 70% to 79.99% marks | 770 to 879 | Excellent |
| B | 60% to 69.99% marks | 660 to 769 | Very good |
| C | 50% to 59.99% marks | 550 to 659 | Good |
| D | 40% to 49.99% marks | 440 to 549 | Fair |
| E | 33% to 39.99% marks | 439 or below | Satisfactory |
BISE BWP (Rahim Yar Khan)
| PERCENTAGE OF MARKS | GRADE | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|
| 80% Marks and above | A+ | Exceptional |
| 70% and above but below 80% | A | Excellent |
| 60% and above but below 70% | B | Very Good |
| 50% and above but below 60% | C | Good |
| 40% and above but below 50% | D | Fair |
| Below 40% to minimum Pass Marks | E | Satisfactory |
BISE Sargodha
| PERCENTAGE OF MARKS | GRADE | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|
| 80% Marks and above | A+ | Exceptional |
| 70% and above but below 80% | A | Excellent |
| 60% and above but below 70% | B | Very Good |
| 50% and above but below 60% | C | Good |
| 40% and above but below 50% | D | Fair |
| Below 40% to minimum Pass Marks | E | Satisfactory |
BISE Sialkot
| Grade | Marks Range | Percentage | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 880 or above | 80% or above | Exceptional |
| A | 770 to 879 | 70% to 79.9% | Excellent |
| B | 660 to 769 | 60% to 69.9% | Very Good |
| C | 550 to 659 | 50% to 59.9% | Good |
| D | 440 to 549 | 40% to 49.9% | Fair |
| E | 439 or below | 33% to 39.9% | Satisfactory |
BISE Faisalabad
| PERCENTAGE OF MARKS | GRADE | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|
| 80% Marks and above | A+ | Exceptional |
| 70% and above but below 80% | A | Excellent |
| 60% and above but below 70% | B | Very Good |
| 50% and above but below 60% | C | Good |
| 40% and above but below 50% | D | Fair |
| Below 40% to minimum Pass Marks | E | Satisfactory |
BISE Lahore
| # | Percentage Range | Marks | Grade | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80% and above | 880 or more | A+ | Exceptional |
| 2 | 70% to 79% | 770 – 879 | A | Excellent |
| 3 | 60% to 69% | 660 – 769 | B | Very Good |
| 4 | 50% to 59% | 550 – 659 | C | Good |
| 5 | 40% to 49% | 440 – 549 | D | Fair |
| 6 | Below 40% | Less than 440 | E | Satisfactory |
BISE Multan
| Percentage of Marks | Grade | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| 80 % and above marks | A+ | Exceptional |
| 70 % and above but below 80 % | A | Excellent |
| 60 % and above but below 70 % | B | Very Good |
| 50 % and above but below 60 % | C | Good |
| 40 % and above but below 50 % | D | Fair |
| Below 40 % to minimum Pass marks | E | Satisfactory |
BISE Rawalpindi
| Grades | Percentage of Marks | Marks | Percentage of Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 80 % or above marks | 880 or above marks | Outstanding Marks |
| A | 70% to 79.99% marks | 770 to 879 | Excellent |
| B | 60% to 69.99% marks | 660 to 769 | Very good |
| C | 50% to 59.99% marks | 550 to 659 | Good |
| D | 40% to 49.99% marks | 440 to 549 | Fair |
| E | 33% to 39.99% marks | 439 or below | Satisfactory |
Abasyn University
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A | 85.000 – 100.000 | A |
| A- | 80.000 – 84.990 | A- |
| B+ | 75.000 – 79.990 | B+ |
| B | 70.000 – 74.990 | B |
| B- | 65.000 – 69.990 | B- |
| C+ | 61.000 – 64.990 | C+ |
| C | 58.000 – 60.990 | C |
| C- | 55.000 – 57.990 | C- |
| D+ | 53.000 – 54.990 | D+ |
| D | 50.000 – 52.990 | D |
| F | 0.000 – 49.990 | F |
Bahria Universtiy
Graduate
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A | 87.000 – 100.000 | A |
| B+ | 80.000 – 86.000 | AB |
| B | 72.000 – 79.000 | B |
| C+ | 66.000 – 71.000 | BC |
| C | 60.000 – 65.000 | C |
| D | 50.000 – 59.000 | CD |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
COMSATS University Islamabad
| Grade | Scale | Grade Description | US Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90.000 – 100.000 | Superior/Excellent | A |
| A- | 85.000 – 89.990 | A- | |
| B+ | 80.000 – 84.990 | B+ | |
| B | 75.000 – 79.990 | Above Average/Good | B |
| B- | 70.000 – 74.990 | B- | |
| C+ | 65.000 – 69.990 | C+ | |
| C | 60.000 – 64.990 | Competent Average | C |
| C- | 55.000 – 59.990 | C- | |
| D | 50.000 – 54.990 | Minimum Passing | D |
| F | 0.000 – 49.990 | Fail | F |
Hazara University
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90.000 – 100.000 | A |
| A | 85.000 – 89.000 | A |
| A- | 80.000 – 84.000 | A |
| B | 70.000 – 79.000 | B |
| C | 60.000 – 69.000 | C |
| D | 50.000 – 59.000 | D |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
Iqra University
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A | 88.000 – 100.000 | A |
| B+ | 81.000 – 87.000 | AB |
| B | 74.000 – 80.000 | B |
| C+ | 67.000 – 73.000 | BC |
| C | 60.000 – 66.000 | C |
| F | 0.000 – 59.000 | F |
National University of Modern Languages
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 90.000 – 100.000 | A+ |
| A2 | 80.000 – 89.000 | A+ |
| A3 | 77.000 – 79.000 | A |
| B1 | 74.000 – 76.000 | A |
| B2 | 70.000 – 73.000 | A |
| B3 | 67.000 – 69.000 | A- |
| C1 | 64.000 – 66.000 | B+ |
| C2 | 60.000 – 63.000 | B |
| D | 50.000 – 59.000 | C |
Allama Iqbal Open University
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 80.000 – 100.000 | A |
| A | 70.000 – 79.000 | A |
| B | 60.000 – 69.000 | A |
| C | 50.000 – 59.000 | B |
| D | 40.000 – 49.000 | C |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Lahore
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90.000 – 100.000 | A+ |
| A | 87.000 – 89.000 | A |
| B+ | 82.000 – 86.000 | B+ |
| B | 77.000 – 81.000 | B |
| C+ | 70.000 – 76.000 | C+ |
| C | 60.000 – 69.000 | C |
| D+ | 50.000 – 59.000 | D+ |
| D | 40.000 – 49.000 | D |
| D- | 33.000 – 39.000 | D- |
Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90.000 – 100.000 | A+ |
| A | 80.000 – 89.000 | A |
| B+ | 70.000 – 79.000 | AB |
| B | 60.000 – 69.000 | B |
| C+ | 55.000 – 59.000 | BC |
| C | 50.000 – 54.000 | C |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
International Islamic University, Islamabad
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A | 80.000 – 100.000 | A |
| B+ | 75.000 – 79.000 | AB |
| B | 70.000 – 74.000 | B |
| C+ | 65.000 – 69.000 | BC |
| C | 60.000 – 64.000 | C |
| D+ | 55.000 – 59.000 | CD |
| D | 50.000 – 54.000 | D |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
Mehran University of Engineering and Technology
| Grade | Scale | Scale 2 | US Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 75.000 – 100.000 | 4.000 | A |
| B | 60.000 – 74.000 | 3.000 | B |
| C | 50.000 – 59.000 | 2.000 | C |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | 0.000 | F |
National University of Science and Technology (NUST)
| Grade | US Grade |
|---|---|
| A | A |
| B+ | AB |
| B | B |
| C+ | BC |
| C | C |
| D+ | CD |
| D | D |
| F | F |
Preston University
| Grade | Scale | Scale 2 | US Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90.000 – 100.000 | 4.000 | A+ |
| B | 80.000 – 89.000 | 3.000 | A |
| C | 70.000 – 79.000 | 2.000 | B |
| D | 60.000 – 69.000 | 1.000 | C |
| F | 0.000 – 59.000 | 0.000 | F |
Riphah International University
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90.000 – 100.000 | A |
| A | 80.000 – 89.000 | A |
| B | 70.000 – 79.000 | A |
| C | 60.000 – 69.000 | B |
| D | 50.000 – 59.000 | C |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (Revised)
| Grade | Scale | Scale 2 | Grade Description | US Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95.000 – 100.000 | 4.000 | A+ | |
| A | 91.000 – 94.000 | 3.750 | A- | |
| A- | 87.000 – 90.000 | 3.500 | AB | |
| B+ | 83.000 – 86.000 | 3.250 | B+ | |
| B | 79.000 – 82.000 | 3.000 | B | |
| B- | 75.000 – 78.000 | 2.750 | B- | |
| C+ | 72.000 – 74.000 | 2.500 | BC | |
| C | 69.000 – 71.000 | 2.250 | C+ | |
| C- | 66.000 – 68.000 | 2.000 | C | |
| D+ | 64.000 – 65.000 | 1.000 | C- | |
| D | 62.000 – 63.000 | 1.500 | CD | |
| D- | 60.000 – 61.000 | 1.250 | D+ | |
| F | 0.000 – 59.000 | 0.000 | F | |
| S | Satisfactory | S |
Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90.000 – 100.000 | A+ |
| A | 85.000 – 89.000 | A |
| A- | 80.000 – 84.000 | A |
| B+ | 75.000 – 79.000 | A- |
| B | 70.000 – 74.000 | B+ |
| C+ | 65.000 – 69.000 | B |
| C | 60.000 – 64.000 | B- |
| D+ | 55.000 – 59.000 | C+ |
| D | 50.000 – 54.000 | C |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
| Grade | Scale | Scale 2 | Grade Description | US Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95.000 – 100.000 | 4.000 | Excellent | A+ |
| A | 85.000 – 94.990 | 4.000 | Very Good | A |
| B+ | 80.000 – 84.990 | 3.700 – 3.900 | Good | B+ |
| B | 70.000 – 79.990 | 3.000 – 3.600 | Good | B |
| C | 60.000 – 69.990 | 2.000 – 2.990 | Satisfactory | C |
| D | 0.000 – 59.990 | 0.000 – 1.900 | Fail | F |
University of Education, Lahore
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90.000 – 100.000 | A+ |
| A | 80.000 – 89.000 | A |
| B | 70.000 – 79.000 | B |
| C | 60.000 – 69.000 | B |
| D | 50.000 – 59.000 | C |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
Quaid-i-Azam University
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A | 80.000 – 100.000 | A |
| B | 60.000 – 79.900 | B |
| C | 50.000 – 59.900 | C |
| D | 0.000 – 49.900 | F |
Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology
| Grade | Scale | Scale 2 | Grade Description | US Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95.000 – 100.000 | 4.000 | A+ | |
| A | 91.000 – 94.000 | 3.750 | A- | |
| A- | 87.000 – 90.000 | 3.500 | AB | |
| B+ | 83.000 – 86.000 | 3.250 | B+ | |
| B | 79.000 – 82.000 | 3.000 | B | |
| B- | 75.000 – 78.000 | 2.750 | B- | |
| C+ | 71.000 – 74.000 | 2.500 | BC | |
| C | 68.000 – 70.000 | 2.250 | C+ | |
| C- | 65.000 – 67.000 | 2.000 | C | |
| D | 60.000 – 64.000 | 1.000 | D | |
| F | 0.000 – 59.000 | 0.000 | F | |
| S | Satisfactory | S |
Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University
| Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|
| 85.000 – 100.000 | A |
| 80.000 – 84.990 | A- |
| 75.000 – 79.990 | B+ |
| 70.000 – 74.990 | B |
| 67.000 – 69.990 | B- |
| 64.000 – 66.990 | B+ |
| 60.000 – 63.990 | C |
| 57.000 – 59.990 | C- |
| 54.000 – 56.990 | D |
| 50.000 – 53.990 | D |
| 0.000 – 49.990 | F |
Suleman Dawood School of Business, LUMS
Graduate-level
| Grade | Grade Description | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| D* | Distinction | A+ |
| HP | High Pass | A |
| P+ | Pass Plus | A- |
| P | Pass | B+ |
| P- | Pass Minus | B |
| LP | Low Pass | B- |
| U* | Unsatisfactory | F |
Univeristy of Lahore
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
|---|---|---|
| A | 85.000 – 100.000 | A |
| A- | 80.000 – 84.000 | A- |
| B+ | 75.000 – 79.000 | AB |
| B | 70.000 – 74.000 | B |
| C+ | 65.000 – 69.000 | BC |
| C | 60.000 – 64.000 | C |
| D+ | 55.000 – 59.000 | CD |
| D | 50.000 – 54.000 | D |
| F | 0.000 – 49.000 | F |
Virtual University of Pakistan
| Grade | Grade Points | Equivalent Percentage |
| A+ | 4.00 | 90 – 100 |
| A | 4.00 | 85 – 89 |
| A- | 3.66 – 3.99 | 80 – 84 |
| B+ | 3.33 – 3.65 | 75 – 79 |
| B | 3.00 – 3.32 | 71 – 74 |
| B- | 2.66 – 2.99 | 68 – 70 |
| C | 2.00 – 2.65 | 61 – 67 |
| D | 1.00 – 1.99 | 50 – 60 |
| F | 0 | Below 50 |