The Punjab government has introduced significant revisions to the Central Induction Policy (CIP-2026) for FCPS and MD/MS postgraduate training, sparking concern among graduates of public-sector medical colleges who fear the changes will undermine their competitiveness.
The updated policy, issued by the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department after approval on November 13, 2025, reduces longstanding incentives that previously benefited government-trained doctors, particularly those serving in remote or resource-limited areas.
Under the new system, the marks awarded to government graduates for induction into the January 2026 training cycle have been reduced by nearly half.
For the July 2026 induction and all subsequent cycles, these experience-based marks have been abolished altogether, marking a major departure from earlier frameworks that rewarded service in primary and secondary care facilities, including BHUs, RHCs, THQs, DHQs, PESSI hospitals, and jail medical units.
Previously, candidates could earn up to 25 marks for such service, recognizing the challenges of working in rural and underserved districts. Critics argue that removing these incentives shifts the advantage toward private and foreign graduates who do not spend comparable time in frontline facilities.
The revised point system now offers a maximum of five marks for experience across primary, secondary, and tertiary care hospitals for the January 2026 cycle only.
These include 1.25 marks for every uninterrupted three months at BHUs or RHCs, 0.75 marks for THQ and DHQ postings, and 0.5 marks for work at major tertiary institutes. However, the notification makes clear that none of these marks will be awarded from July 2026 onward.
Additionally, components such as parent institute affiliation, house job preference, and Matric/FSc marks—long used to support government graduates—have been removed.
Many medical professionals worry that the new merit structure diminishes recognition of years of service in difficult environments. In response, UHS Vice Chancellor Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore has defended the policy, stating it ensures equal opportunity and removes irrelevant criteria from postgraduate selection.
