FBISE Compartment Rules: Failed 2 Subjects or Fewer, Retake Only Those Papers, Five Attempts
FBISE compartment rules for SSC and HSSC: what happens if you fail two subjects or fewer, more than two, or a Part I paper, and how many attempts you get.
Short answer: Under FBISE rules, a student who fails two subjects or fewer in Part II is placed in compartment and can retake only the failed papers, with five attempts in all. A student who fails more than two subjects must take all subjects again. Part I results stay valid forever.
A family in Islamabad opens the intermediate result and sees "Retry" beside two subjects. The first question is always the same. Does the whole year have to be repeated? For most students the answer is no, and the Federal Board has a written rule that explains what happens next.
We read rules 1.10, 1.11, 1.12 and 1.15 of the FBISE General Rules for Examination on 13 October 2026. This page puts them in plain order. It covers the Federal Board only. If your child studies under a provincial board, the number of attempts can differ.
Two failed subjects or fewer means compartment
Rule 1.10 (i) says a candidate failing in two subjects or fewer in SSC-II or HSSC-II is placed under compartment. The student then sits only the failed papers or subjects, within five subsequent attempts.
A subject can have two or three papers. A student passes the subject on the total of those papers. If the total fails, the student is marked failed in the paper where the failure actually happened. The pass mark is 33 per cent, in theory and practical separately.
A candidate who appeared in the old course for up to two attempts within one year keeps the remaining three attempts, but must take the failed papers only in the current course.
| Result in Part II | What happens next |
|---|---|
| Failed 1 or 2 subjects | Compartment: retake only the failed papers, five attempts |
| Failed more than 2 subjects | Take all subjects again in the next annual exam as a fresh candidate |
| Failed a Part I paper | Retake it along with Part II in the next annual exam |
| Passed Part I earlier | That result stays intact forever |
| Missed an attempt | No extra attempt is given for it |
More than two failed subjects means a full retake
Rule 1.10 (i) says a candidate who fails more than two subjects in Part II must appear in all subjects of that examination at the next annual exam, as a fresh candidate. Do not expect compartment status in that case.
A second part of the rules, rule 1.11 (b), reads differently. It says a candidate failing in more than two subjects shall appear in failed papers only in the current course. The two lines are not worded the same way, so ask the board which one applies to your result card before you fill in the form. Call the FBISE helpline on 111 032473 in office hours, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm.
Part I results stay forever and Part I failures join Part II
Rule 1.11 (c) says the result of SSC Part I and HSSC Part I remains intact forever. A student who failed a Part I paper reappears in it along with Part II in the next annual exam.
A student who missed Part I without a good reason may also sit it along with Part II if otherwise eligible. A passed student may reappear in any number of Part I papers for improvement, and keeps the earlier marks if the new marks are lower.
- Read the result card and count the failed subjects.
- If the count is two or fewer, plan for compartment papers only.
- Note which papers belong to Part I and which to Part II.
- Pick the exam: the second annual or the next annual.
- Submit the admission form and fee before the last date.
The second annual exam is open to students who failed
Rule 1.12 says the second annual exam is held after the annual result and before the next annual exam. It is open to students who fully or partly failed, or were absent. Passed students can also appear to improve marks or take an additional subject.
FBISE says it has dropped the word "supplementary". A student who passes in the second annual exam receives a result card that says "Passed in Annual Examinations".
The dates for this year are in the pages on the FBISE second annual exam 2026 and the matric second annual date sheet. A private route is explained in the page on matric 2027 private registration.
Changing subjects and special candidates have their own rules
While clearing failed papers, a student may change an elective subject, but only from practical to non practical subjects, and the five attempts stay the same. Special candidates, such as deaf, mute or blind students, have no limit on attempts and pay no board fees.
After the attempts are used up, the student can appear as an ex or private candidate in Part I, or in Parts I and II. Special candidates need a medical certificate from a specialist or civil surgeon of a government hospital. The limit of five attempts does not apply to them.
If you want to raise marks after passing instead, that is a different path. A result problem such as a wrong total goes to recounting. For a certificate problem, see the page on the FBISE duplicate certificate and mark sheet.
Common questions
How many attempts does a failed FBISE student get?
A student in compartment gets five subsequent attempts to clear the failed papers. A student who already used two attempts in the old course keeps three more.
What is compartment in FBISE?
It is the status of a student who failed two subjects or fewer in Part II. The student retakes only the failed papers, not the whole examination.
What if I fail more than two subjects?
Rule 1.10 says you must take all subjects again in the next annual exam. Another rule mentions failed papers only, so confirm with the board.
Does my Part I result expire?
No. FBISE says a Part I result remains intact forever. Only a failed Part I paper has to be retaken.
Is the second annual exam the same as supplementary?
Yes in practice, but FBISE has dropped the word supplementary. A pass is shown as Passed in Annual Examinations.
Can a disabled student sit more than five times?
Yes. Deaf, mute and blind candidates may qualify without any limit on attempts, with a medical certificate, and are exempt from board fees.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the FBISE General Rules for Examination, with amendments to March 2024, and the FBISE home page for the helpline. We could not confirm which of rule 1.10 (i) and rule 1.11 (b) FBISE applies in practice to more than two failed subjects, so the page says to ask the board.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
