How do Boards select 9th Class Position Holders?
Every year, thousands of students appear in the 9th class examination, but only a small number are recognized as position holders or top-performing students. These students are selected by their respective educational boards after the examination results have been finalized and the highest-performing candidates have been identified.
In simple terms, position holders are generally students who achieve the highest qualifying performance in the relevant examination category. However, the exact categories, number of positions, treatment of ties and verification procedures can vary between boards.
What Is a 9th Class Position Holder?
A 9th class position holder is a student who has achieved one of the highest results in the examination conducted by an educational board.
Boards may announce positions such as:
- 1st position
- 2nd position
- 3rd position
Some boards may announce positions for different groups or categories as well.
For example, BISE Peshawar’s official 2025 SSC position-holder announcement listed Top 3 Position Holders for Overall & Science Group and separately listed Top 3 Position Holders for Humanities Group.
This means the term “topper” does not always refer to one student across every category.
Students who want to check their own marks can use our 9th class result by roll number guide.
How Do Boards Select Position Holders?
The general process starts after the examination papers have been checked and the results have been compiled.
The board determines the candidates with the highest qualifying performance according to the applicable examination and position-holder criteria. Before the positions are formally announced, boards may carry out additional verification of the highest-scoring candidates.
The exact procedure is board-specific, so students should not assume that every board follows exactly the same internal process.
Are Position Holders Selected Only by Marks?
Marks are a major basis for identifying top-performing candidates, but the complete process can involve additional verification and board rules.
For example, the IBCC Model Assessment Framework instructs boards to recheck the marks of the top 20 position holders by subject/group and overall and emphasizes accuracy in preparing examination results.
This is important because a position announcement is not simply a matter of taking an unverified list of the highest marks and immediately declaring the students as toppers.
Why Are Top Students’ Marks Rechecked?
The purpose of additional checking is to reduce the possibility of an error affecting the position list.
A small difference in marks can change the order of candidates when students are competing for the highest positions. For this reason, verification of the highest-performing candidates is particularly important.
The IBCC’s Model Assessment Framework specifically calls for rechecking the marks of the top 20 position holders by subject/group and overall.
This provides an additional layer of verification before results and position-holder information are finalized.
Is the Student With the Highest Marks Always First?
Generally, the highest qualifying result corresponds to first position within the relevant category, but students should not assume that every board publishes positions using exactly the same structure.
Boards can have different groups, categories and position-holder arrangements.
For example, BISE Malakand’s official 2025 SSC position-holder list separately identified Science and Humanities position holders.
Therefore, when a board announces its toppers, always check whether the list is:
- Overall
- Science Group
- Humanities Group
- Another examination category
Can Two Students Share the Same Position?
Yes.
A tie can occur when two or more students achieve the same qualifying marks for a position.
For example, BISE Malakand’s official 2025 SSC Science position-holder list shows several students sharing third position with 1,155 marks. Its Humanities list also shows two students sharing second position with 1,093 marks.
So students should not assume that every board’s position list will always contain exactly one student in first, second and third place.
What Happens When Students Have Equal Marks?
When candidates have the same marks, the board applies its applicable rules for handling the position.
The result may be a shared position, depending on the board’s criteria.
This is why you may sometimes see:
1st position: Student A
2nd position: Student B and Student C
3rd position: Student D
The ranking structure can therefore contain more students than the simple number of positions might suggest.
Are Position Holders Selected Group-Wise?
Some boards publish position holders separately by group.
This is particularly relevant in examinations where students are divided into different academic groups.
BISE Peshawar’s 2025 SSC announcement provides a clear example. The board published Top 3 Position Holders for the Overall & Science Group and separately for the Humanities Group.
Other boards may use different categories, so the official announcement from the relevant board should be checked.
Are Regular and Private Students Treated Differently?
Students should not assume that all position-holder lists follow the same rules for regular and private candidates.
The eligibility requirements can be determined by the relevant board and examination regulations.
For example, BISE Malakand’s 2025 official position-holder list includes both institutional candidates and private candidates in its Humanities category.
Therefore, the idea that only students from schools can ever become position holders should not be presented as a universal rule.
Can an Improvement Candidate Become a Position Holder?
This is another area where students should be careful.
The eligibility of improvement candidates for position-holder awards can depend on the board’s rules.
For example, BISE Peshawar’s 2026 SSC Annual-I examination admission notification explicitly states that candidates attempting improvement of marks will not be considered for position holders or other awards, medals or scholarships in that examination.
This demonstrates why we should not publish a blanket statement such as “improvement students can never become position holders” for every Pakistani board.
The correct approach is to check the relevant board’s current examination regulations.
Does Passing the Examination Make a Student Eligible for a Position?
Passing the examination is only the basic academic requirement.
A position holder is a student who performs at the highest level within the relevant position-holder category. Therefore, simply passing with good marks does not mean a student will be included among the top positions.
The competition for positions is based on the highest-performing candidates under the board’s applicable criteria.
Does the New 2026 Grading System Change Position Holders?
The new national grading system is an important change for 9th class students in 2026.
IBCC says the new grading system begins from the First Annual Examination 2026, with Grade 9 included in the first phase. It introduces a 10-point grading scale and raises the passing threshold to 40%. During the first phase, absolute scores are also reported alongside grades.
However, students should not assume that the new grading system automatically eliminates position holders.
IBCC’s FAQ specifically states that the new grading system will not impact high achievers.
The way individual boards identify and announce top performers should therefore be checked in the relevant board’s 2026 announcement.
Why Are Position Holders Announced Before or With the Result?
Boards may announce their position holders as part of the result announcement process or through a separate ceremony or notification.
The purpose is to recognize students who achieved outstanding academic performance.
For example, BISE Malakand held a result announcement ceremony in which position holders of the SSC Annual-I Examination 2025 received shields.
The timing and format of these announcements can vary from one board to another.
What Information Is Usually Published About Position Holders?
When a board announces its position holders, it may provide information such as:
- Student name
- Position
- Roll number
- Marks
- Group
- School or institution
- District or location
The information varies according to the board’s publication format.
BISE Malakand’s official 2025 position-holder page, for example, lists the student’s name, parent information, position, institution, roll number and marks.
Does the School Matter in Position Selection?
The school itself does not make a student a position holder.
The student’s examination performance is what determines the academic ranking, subject to the board’s applicable criteria.
However, the school or institution is commonly mentioned alongside the student when the board publishes the position-holder list.
This is why position-holder announcements often receive attention from both students and schools.
Can Position Holders Receive Awards?
Some boards provide awards, medals, certificates or financial prizes to high achievers.
The exact awards depend on the board.
For example, BISE Peshawar’s scholarship information lists cash prizes and medals for SSC position holders and also explains provisions for bracketed candidates.
Students should check their own board’s official announcement to find out what recognition is offered in a particular year.
How Can Students Check the Position Holder List?
Once the board officially announces its position holders, students can usually find the information through the board’s official website, result announcement, press release or position-holder page.
Some boards maintain dedicated sections for previous position-holder lists. BISE Peshawar, for example, maintains an official position-holder section covering multiple years.
Can You Find Position Holders in the Result Gazette?
A result gazette may contain extensive candidate information, but students should not assume that it is always the best source for identifying official position holders.
Boards can publish separate position-holder announcements or lists.
If you specifically want the official list of toppers, check the board’s dedicated position-holder announcement or result ceremony information.
What Is the Difference Between a Position Holder and a High Scorer?
These terms can sometimes be used interchangeably in general discussion, but they are not necessarily identical.
A high scorer is simply a student who obtains a high result.
A position holder is a student officially recognized by the board as occupying a particular position under its applicable criteria.
A student can therefore achieve excellent marks without being officially listed as a position holder if other students rank higher or if the student’s category does not qualify for an announced position.
Do Position Holders Always Get the Same Position Across Boards?
No.
A student who ranks first in one board cannot be compared directly with a student who ranks first in another board as though both boards had identical examination structures.
Different boards have different examination systems, candidate populations, subject structures and position-holder categories.
The meaningful comparison is normally within the relevant board and examination category.
What If a Student Thinks a Position List Is Incorrect?
Position-holder lists are based on examination records and board procedures.
If a student believes there is a genuine discrepancy, the matter should be raised through the official examination board rather than through social media or an unofficial website.
The board’s examination authorities are responsible for verifying examination records and issuing the final official position-holder information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are 9th class position holders selected?
Boards generally identify the highest-performing eligible candidates from the finalized examination results, according to their applicable position-holder criteria. High-ranking candidates may undergo additional verification before positions are formally announced. The exact process can vary by board.
Is first position given to the student with the highest marks?
Generally, the highest qualifying performer is placed first within the relevant category, but the exact ranking structure depends on the board’s rules and categories.
Can two students share first or second position?
Yes. Students with equal qualifying marks can share a position. Official board lists show examples of shared positions.
Are 9th class position holders selected separately for Science and Arts?
Some boards announce positions separately by group. BISE Peshawar and BISE Malakand, for example, publish group-wise position-holder information.
Are the marks of top position holders checked again?
The IBCC Model Assessment Framework directs boards to recheck the marks of the top 20 position holders by subject/group and overall.
Can an improvement candidate become a position holder?
The answer depends on the board’s rules. For example, BISE Peshawar’s 2026 SSC Annual-I notification excludes candidates appearing for improvement of marks from position-holder consideration for that examination.
Does the new 2026 grading system remove position holders?
No. IBCC states that the new grading system will not impact high achievers. However, the exact method of identifying and announcing positions remains subject to board procedures.
Are private students eligible for positions?
Eligibility depends on the relevant board’s rules. Official BISE Malakand records, for example, include a private candidate among its 2025 SSC Humanities position holders.
What information is included in a position-holder list?
Depending on the board, the list may include the student’s name, position, roll number, marks, group and institution.
Where can I find the 9th class position holders list?
Check the official website of the board that conducted your examination. Boards may publish the list through a position-holder page, result announcement, press release or ceremony information.
Are position holders announced before the result?
The timing varies. Some boards announce top performers shortly before or alongside the general result announcement, while others may publish the list separately.
Final Words
9th class position holders are not selected simply by looking at a few marks and immediately publishing the names. Boards first finalize examination results and then identify the highest-performing eligible candidates according to their applicable criteria. Additional verification of top candidates can also be part of the process.
The exact system is not identical across Pakistan. Some boards publish overall and group-wise positions, some allow shared positions when marks are equal, and individual rules can affect eligibility for awards or position-holder status.
