What Percentage Is First Division? A Plain Guide for Students

If you grew up with marksheets that say first, second or third division, the terms feel obvious. If you are filling in a form that asks for your division, or comparing an older certificate with a newer one, it helps to know exactly what each label means and why the answer is not the same everywhere.

The traditional cutoffs

In Pakistan, the long-standing division system groups results by total percentage:

• First division: 60% and above

• Second division: 45% to 59%

• Third division: 33% to 44%

• Below 33%: fail

You will see these bands on older matric and intermediate certificates, and many job postings and eligibility rules written before 2025 still use them.

What changed in 2025

The Inter-Boards Coordination Commission approved a new grading policy that began with the 2025 examinations at several boards, with others following in phases. Two things matter for students. The passing mark moved from 33% to 40%, and newer result cards report letter grades on a ten-band scale instead of a division. If your card shows a grade such as B or C and no division, you are on the new system.

This means that a 35% that was a pass in third division on an older card would not be a pass under the new rule. It also means that the old divisions and the new letter grades are two separate frameworks, so do not try to translate one directly into the other.

How to tell which system your certificate uses

1. Look at the result card. If it shows a percentage with the words first, second or third division, it is the traditional system.

2. If it shows letter grades and no division, it is the newer system.

3. If you are unsure, check the board’s notification for your exam year rather than assuming from the year alone, because the rollout was phased.

India uses similar words with local rules

Indian boards and universities also use “first division” and “second division”, but the cutoffs are set by each board or university and are not identical. Many treat 60% and above as first division, but the lower bands differ. If the form asks for a division, use the definition in your own board’s or university’s rules.

Why employers and universities still ask

Eligibility rules for jobs and admissions were often written around divisions, such as a minimum second division bachelor’s degree. Those rules generally apply to results that were issued under the old system. If you want a closer look at the percentages and the letter grades side by side, see this breakdown of first, second and third division percentages.

Questions students ask

Is 60% first division? Under the traditional system, yes. 60% is the lowest first division mark.

What division is 55%? Second division under the traditional system.

Is 40% a pass now? On boards that adopted the 2025 policy, 40% is the passing mark. Older rules used 33%.

Does a division still matter on a new card? Newer cards use letter grades, so the word may not appear. Old rules written around divisions are usually applied to older results.