The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Lahore (BISE, Lahore) constituted in 1954, is the descendent of Punjab University, Lahore to hold Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary School Certificate Examination after 10 years and 12 years of education respectively. Its mandate stem from section 3 of the Punjab University Act (Amendment) ordinance 1954. An Interim Committee chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the Punjab University, Lahore was set up by the Government to do the spade work. Resultantly the Punjab Act VIII of 1955 was passed which deemed it "expedient to establish an organization to regularize and supervise the Secondary education in the Punjab and to take charge of all examinations pertaining to Secondary Education including Matriculation, Intermediate and classical languages.
It was provided that the Board shall consist of the following members:-

1. The Director of Public Instructions, Punjab (Ex-Officio).
2. The Vice-Chairman, to be nominated by the Controlling Authority.
3. The Vice-Chancellor of the University.
4. Two nominees of the Bahawalpur State Government.
5. One nominee of the Baluchistan Government.
6. One nominee of the Azad Kashmir Government
7. Two Deans of Faculties of the University, nominated by the Chancellor of the University.
8. One Principal of the College affiliated with the University, to be nominated by the Chancellor of the University.
9. One Principal of an Intermediate College, or a Higher Secondary Institution, to be nominated by the Controlling Authority.
10. One Inspector of Schools, to be nominated by the Director of Public Instruction, Punjab.
11. Three Headmasters, one from recognized Government High Schools, one from recognized High Schools maintained by local bodies and one from recognized High Schools other than those maintained by Government or local bodies, to be nominated by Director of Public Instruction, Punjab.
12. Two Headmistresses of recognized High Schools, to be nominated by the Director of Public instruction, Punjab.
13. Two nominees of Government representing technical and professional Education
14. One representative of Institutions recognized by the Board for preparing candidates for the Pakistan and Classical languages Examinations to be nominated by the Controlling Authority.

The BISE Lahore inherited from the Punjab University a vast territorial jurisdiction for conducting examination in the provinces of Punjab and Baluchistan, Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas. Abroad, it had examination centers to cater the needs of candidates of Nairobi (Kenya) and Kuwait.

In order to reconstitute and reorganize the Board, further enactment was made and The West Pakistan (Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Lahore) Amendment Bill 1963 was adopted.

With the increase in population, and indeed the candidates, the Government had to re-asses the needs and the means. Two more Boards were set up, one at Multan and the other at Sargodha through The West Pakistan Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (Multan and Sargodha) Ordinance No. XVII of 1968.

The growth in candidacy further necessitated bifurcation and Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education was set up in Gujranwala.

By 1985 changes in Punjab's administrative set up provided for an Education Board in each administration Division. The Punjab Ordinance No. XXXIII of 1985 whereby each of the eight administrative divisions had their own Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education. The BISE, Lahore has since been confined to the districts of Lahore, Kasur, Okara and Sheikhupura.

The Board's Calendar includes ordinance, Act, Regulations and Rules relating to Board Affairs. The Calendar defines the objectives of the Board as follow:-

(i) To regulate and Supervise the Secondary and Intermediate Education.

(ii) To hold and conduct all examinations pertaining to Intermediate and Secondary Education, Pakistani and Classical Languages, PTC/ Ct and such other examinations as may be determined by the Government.

(iii) To compile the result of the appeared candidates and to notify the same and issue certificates to the successful candidates.

(iv) To conduct the useful research regarding:-

(v) To promote the sports activities or the relevant students.

The Boards have been fully associated with National Curricula Development Wing of Federal Government and have developed curricula in various subjects of Secondary and Intermediate levels during the year 1982-83, a test items bank (objective type) was developed. Such items were standardized and approved in a National Workshop arranged by BISE Lahore from 12th December to 20th December, 1983, in curriculum wing, Federal Government, Islamabad.