The Punjab government has issued a revised Central Induction Policy (CIP-2026) for FCPS and MD/MS postgraduate training, introducing major changes that many within the government medical community say will severely affect graduates of public-sector medical colleges.
Under the updated policy, the marks awarded to government medical graduates for induction into January 2026 training programmes have been reduced by up to 50%. For the July 2026 cycle, these marks have been abolished entirely.
Previously, candidates received 10 marks for service in primary and secondary healthcare facilities, including BHUs, RHCs, THQs, DHQs, and PESSI hospitals, and up to 15 marks for work in jail hospitals. These incentives were designed to recognize service in remote or under-resourced areas.
Critics argue that the new policy shifts the advantage towards private and foreign medical graduates at the expense of those trained in public institutions. They warn that, if unchanged, the policy could allow non-government graduates to secure a dominant share of residency seats.
The policy changes have triggered widespread concern among public-sector graduates, many of whom believe the revisions drastically reduce their chances of securing postgraduate training. The final version of CIP-2026 was issued by the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department after approval in a Postgraduate Admission Committee meeting on November 13, 2025.
According to the revised point system, a total of five marks will now be offered for experience across primary, secondary, and tertiary care hospitals.
Of these, 1.25 marks are allotted for every uninterrupted three-month period at BHUs and RHCs, 0.75 marks for similar service at THQs, DHQs, PESSI hospitals with 100+ beds, and 0.5 marks for experience at major tertiary hospitals such as the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and the Multan Institute of Kidney Diseases. Jail hospital duties are also included, but with reduced weighting compared to earlier policies.
However, the notification explicitly states that all these experience-based marks, including those for PESSI, primary, secondary, tertiary care, and jail hospitals, will not be granted for the July 2026 induction and onwards.
Officials familiar with the developments say the overhaul not only reduces experience marks for January 2026 but eliminates them entirely in future cycles.
They also note that points previously awarded for parent institute affiliation, house jobs completed at parent institutes, and Matric/FSc marks have been removed. For many years, these components had helped acknowledge the service of doctors working in Punjab’s most underserved facilities.
The new merit structure also removes institutional preference, a change seen by many within the system as a major setback for graduates hoping to train at their parent medical colleges.
Some medical professionals argue that the policy significantly disadvantages graduates who spent years serving in basic health units, rural health centres, and other frontline facilities. Many young doctors fear that these revisions could negatively affect their long-term training pathways.
Amid criticism circulating on social media, University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore has denied that the changes discriminate against government graduates.
He maintains that the revised policy gives equal opportunity to candidates from both government and private colleges. He also described Matric and FSc marks as irrelevant for postgraduate induction, arguing that they should not influence residency placement once candidates have completed their MBBS.
To be a doctor you have to go through childhood to be the most excellent achiever and then qualify for MDCAT atleast in the top to achieve required marks to qualify. Meaning to be at above 90% achiever
Or spend over 1 crore after studying for entire childhood and teenage.
And those who change policy have never achieved the same level of excellence or hard work.
Shows you why this country will NEVER EVER succeed
The foreign medical graduates do a mandatory unpaid housejob for year along with the government graduates. We work the same as any other graduate. But at that time FMG’s efforts are not seen. Many FMGs have the same grades in fsc and matric and missed a govt. Seat by barest of margins. Secondly not every FMG is from a well off family. Many work there part time to support them and their family. Lastly we also pass the same exam as u locals so why do u guys feel that u are so called superior?
Problem is one person is letting those rule who know nothing about anything. But because sultan e waqt wants to be powerful letting anything happen by his selected people
I believe this is an entirely equitable proposal. The consideration of matriculation and FSc marks for postgraduate induction should be discontinued. This practice is not observed in any developed nation. Successfully completing FCPS is a significant challenge in itself, let alone the induction process. Upon enrollment, all individuals are on an equal standing; their previous educational institutions become irrelevant, and their competence and individual capabilities are the sole determinants of their success.