In an exciting development for students in Punjab, the School Education Department has introduced three new groups for students to choose from when they enter matriculation. This change will start in the academic session of 2025-26, offering students more options to shape their future careers. The new groups are Health Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, and Fashion Designing, alongside the traditional Matric Science and Matric Arts streams.
Previously, students had limited choices in terms of their subjects after completing middle school. However, this new initiative aims to give students a wider range of career paths to explore from an early age. Now, students who are interested in medicine, health, farming, or fashion will have a clear route to follow, helping them specialize in areas they are passionate about.
Starting from 9th grade, students will be able to select one of these new groups based on their interests. The introduction of these new courses is part of a larger initiative by the Punjab government to make education more diverse and cater to the different talents and skills of students. The Chief Minister of Punjab has strongly supported this move, recognizing the importance of offering specialized education at the matric level.
To ensure that this new system runs smoothly, the Department has already asked for data on student preferences from the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and District Education Officers (DEOs). This data will help the department determine how many students are interested in each group, ensuring that there will be enough textbooks and resources for every student. The printing of textbooks for these new courses will be done based on the number of students who enroll in each subject.
This change is expected to make education in Punjab more relevant to the needs of modern society, with students having the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that can help them in future careers. Whether a student dreams of becoming a doctor, working in agriculture, or starting a career in fashion, these new options will allow them to start building their future right from school.
This initiative is expected to help students in Punjab become better prepared for the challenges of the real world, offering them practical knowledge that they can use in their careers or higher education. It’s an exciting time for students, and the introduction of these new groups is a step toward creating a more diverse and inclusive education system.
