STI merit is worked out out of 100 marks: up to 85 for your academic record, 10 for a B.Ed or M.Ed and 5 for the interview. Each qualification earns marks by level, so 80% in an annual exam and 90% in a semester degree both count as Level 1 and get full marks.
Enter your marks for Matric, Intermediate and your degree, tick B.Ed or M.Ed if you have it, and add an expected interview score. The calculator shows the level and marks for each qualification, your merit before the interview and your total.
STI merit marks by level
This is the qualification marks table from section V of the STI policy. The level depends on your percentage and on whether the exam was in the semester or the annual system.
| Qualification | Level 1 90%+ semester 80%+ annual | Level 2 80%+ semester 70%+ annual | Level 3 70%+ semester 60%+ annual | Level 4 60%+ semester 50%+ annual | Level 5 50%+ semester 40%+ annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matric | 15 | 13.5 | 12 | 10.5 | 9 |
| Intermediate | 15 | 13.5 | 12 | 10.5 | 9 |
| Bachelor (2 years) | 15 | 13.5 | 12 | 10.5 | 9 |
| Master's | 40 | 36 | 32 | 28 | 24 |
| BS (4 years), in place of Bachelor and Master | 55 | 49.5 | 44 | 38.5 | 33 |
| B.Ed or M.Ed | 10 | ||||
| Interview | up to 5 | ||||
A candidate takes either a Master's with a 2-year Bachelor (40 + 15) or a 4-year BS (55), never both. Teaching experience earns no marks: the policy only says it may be preferred.
How STI merit is calculated
- Find the percentage of each qualification: marks obtained divided by total marks, times 100.
- Find the level. Matric and Intermediate are annual exams, so 80% or more is Level 1, 70% Level 2, 60% Level 3, 50% Level 4 and 40% Level 5. For a degree in the semester system, each level needs 10 points more: 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% and 50%.
- Read the marks for that level from the table. Matric and Intermediate give 15, 13.5, 12, 10.5 or 9. A BS gives 55 down to 33. A Master's gives 40 down to 24, and the Bachelor with it 15 down to 9.
- Add 10 for a B.Ed or M.Ed.
- Add the interview, up to 5 marks.
Marks do not rise with every extra percent. A BS at 79.9% in the semester system gets 44, the same as one at 70%. At 80% it jumps to 49.5. If you are close to a level boundary, check your transcript percentage carefully.
Worked examples
Ayesha, Elementary, BS in the semester system. Matric 912 out of 1100 (82.91%, Level 1) gives 15. Intermediate 845 out of 1100 (76.82%, Level 2) gives 13.5. Her BS is 76.5% in the semester system, which is Level 3 (70% to under 80%), so it gives 44. With a B.Ed she adds 10. Merit before the interview: 82.5. With 4 interview marks her total is 86.5.
Usman, High school, MA in the annual system. Same Matric and Intermediate (15 and 13.5). BA 560 out of 800 (70%, annual, Level 2) gives 13.5. MA 720 out of 1100 (65.45%, annual, Level 3) gives 32. No B.Ed. Before the interview he has 74; with 3 interview marks, 77.
Primary candidate with a BA only. Matric 15, Intermediate 13.5, BA 600 out of 800 (75%, Level 2) 13.5, B.Ed 10: 52 before the interview. Without a Master's or BS, the degree part cannot give more than 15, so a BA-only candidate can reach at most 60 out of 100.
Who can apply and where
| School level | Qualification | Monthly stipend |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | At least B.A or B.Sc | Rs 38,000 |
| Elementary | M.A, M.Sc, BS (Hons), B.A or B.Sc | Rs 40,000 |
| High and Higher Secondary | M.A, M.Sc or BS (Hons) in the relevant subject | Rs 45,000 |
The stipends are the amounts fixed in the 2024 programme policy. The October 2026 advert for this round (IPL-10494) prints the same three figures, so they are what a 2026 intern is paid unless the department notifies a change.
The age limit is 21 to 45 years. Men, women and transgender candidates can apply; men are placed in boys' schools and women in girls' schools.
Hiring is local. Candidates apply online on the STI portal, and each school ranks applicants from a tehsil-wise pool. Only residents of the village, mouza or ward where the school is located are considered first; if no suitable candidate is found, those from the neighbouring union councils are hired. So your merit competes only with the other applicants for the same school, which is why the merit needed differs so much from one school to another.
STI 2026 schedule
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Last date to apply on the STI portal | 18 October 2026 |
| Merit list on the school notice board | 23 October 2026 |
| Grievances to the tehsil committee | 26 October 2026 to 27 October 2026 |
| Interviews of shortlisted candidates | 29 October 2026 to 30 October 2026 |
| Final merit list | 31 October 2026 |
| Letters of agreement on the portal | 2 November 2026 |
The first merit list is your score before the interview, out of 95. Check your marks on it during the grievance days: one qualification placed a level too low costs 1.5 to 5.5 marks.
The internship is temporary and non-transferable, for up to nine months excluding summer vacation, and is not a regular teaching post. The school's merit list is final. This calculator is not affiliated with the School Education Department or PESRP.
STI merit questions
How is STI merit calculated?
Out of 100. Matric and Intermediate give up to 15 each, a 4-year BS up to 55 (or a Master's up to 40 plus the 2-year Bachelor up to 15), a B.Ed or M.Ed 10, and the interview 5. Each qualification earns marks by level: Level 1 is 80% or more in an annual exam or 90% or more in a semester degree.
How many marks does B.Ed give in STI merit?
10 marks for a B.Ed or M.Ed. It is a flat 10: the division or grade of the B.Ed does not change it, and having both does not give 20.
What is the STI merit for 75% marks in BS?
In the semester system 75% is Level 3, which gives 44 out of 55. In the annual system 75% is Level 2, which gives 49.5. The same percentage gets more marks in an annual exam because each level's threshold is 10 points lower.
Is there an interview in STI hiring?
Yes, for shortlisted candidates only. It carries 5 marks, so the merit list before the interview is out of 95. A candidate who is 6 or more marks behind on that list cannot catch up through the interview.
Does teaching experience add marks in STI merit?
No. The policy encourages fresh candidates to apply and says preference may be given to those with teaching experience, but the marks table has no marks for it.
What if my degree shows CGPA and not a percentage?
The levels are set in percentage of marks. Use the percentage on your transcript, or the percentage your university gives for your CGPA. Our CGPA to percentage tool shows the common formulas, but the university's own conversion is the one the school should accept.
Related tools
Last reviewed 9 October 2026. Results are estimates; official notices always take precedence.