Urooj Niazi 
The Health Department has introduced new rules on entrance testing, eligibility, seat distribution, and merit calculations under the Punjab postgraduate medical training policy 2026, leading to a major policy shift in Punjab’s postgraduate medical training system. The changes are aimed at creating a more standardised pathway for doctors looking for advanced clinical training in public teaching hospitals.
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New Postgraduate Medical Policy Of Punjab Alters Access To Training
The new policy has brought a more systematic process of admission in postgraduate medical training in Punjab. The framework includes candidates seeking MS, MD, MDS, and FCPS residency opportunities and places competitive performance at the heart of eligibility.
PGET Compulsory For Post Graduate Medical Aspirants
The new policy also mandates the Post Graduate Entrance Test, or PGET, as a core component. Under the new framework, all aspirants for MS, MD, MDS and FCPS residency training will have to clear the exam.
The University of Health Sciences Lahore is responsible for conducting the entrance test under the centralised umbrella of the institution. This structure can help to provide some consistency in the way we assess applicants for postgraduate training.
PGET Threshold Is Now 75th Percentile
Candidates will be required to score not less than the 75th percentile in PGET for consideration for postgraduate residency training. The threshold sets a clear minimum performance criterion for applicants.
A percentile requirement compares the performance of the candidate to the larger pool of test takers. The 75th percentile requirement means that applicants have to show a performance strong enough to put them in the upper part of the cohort of examination candidates.
New PGET Rules Effective From January 2027 Induction
The mandatory testing requirement and the revised structural provisions will take effect from the induction session in January 2027. The timing gives prospective candidates a significant transition period before the new system is operational.
Second Fellowship Seats Create 50-50 Distribution
Another major policy change is in the area of Level-IV or second-fellowship MD/MS training seats in public teaching hospitals. These seats shall be equally divided between the university MD/MS degree holders and the candidates having CPSP FCPS qualifications.
The 50:50 split provides a formal balance between two major routes to postgraduate qualification. The objective is to make sure that no one category is permitted to have undue access to the specified training opportunities.
Merits Will No Longer Carry Weightage For Experience.
The policy has been changed to reduce and remove the past bonus marks associated with experience for those graduating from government medical institutes. The change is being phased in for the 2026 induction cycles.
Central Merit No Longer Parent Institute Preference
The parent institute preference has also been excluded from the central calculation in the revised merit formula. In the old system, institutional affiliation could contribute to the overall merit assessment.
Merit Removed House Job Marks
The revised policy has removed marks for house job duration from the central merit formula. The change means that length of house job experience is less of a direct factor in postgraduate selection.
Central Merit Without Matric And FSc Marks
Another significant change is the removal of Matric and FSc marks from the central postgraduate merit formula. For doctors applying for specialist training, the revised approach puts more emphasis on readiness for postgraduate training rather than school and intermediate-level academic results.
Overhauled Merit System Could Lead To A More Standardised Process
There has been a major restructuring of the central merit formula with the removal of parent institute preference, house job duration marks, Matric marks and FSc marks. These changes together eliminate some of the historical influences that have previously influenced postgraduate selection. Candidates may focus their preparation on those requirements that are directly responsible for postgraduate selection.
What The New Rules Mean For Medical School Graduates
The new policy could change the approach of doctors looking for postgraduate careers in Punjab. Those who are looking for MS, MD, MDS or FCPS training will need to focus a lot on meeting PGET requirements.
Just showing up for the examination is not sufficient, as the benchmark is the 75th percentile. Applicants will also need to be mindful of the new arrangements for seat allocation for second-fellowship MD/MS training. The 50:50 allocation structure will be for candidates with university MD/MS degrees and CPSP FCPS qualifications.
New Policy May Tighten Standards For Postgraduate Medical Training
The reforms in postgraduate medical training in Punjab could be an opportunity to enhance consistency and transparency in specialist medical education. A compulsory entrance examination is a uniform method for assessing candidates with different educational backgrounds.
Punjab Medical Training Policy To Boost Healthcare Capacity
Postgraduate medical education is of paramount importance to develop capacity for specialist health care all over Pakistan. The country’s most populous province, Punjab, needs large numbers of trained doctors in many different specialties.
Major Policy Change As January 2027 Induction Neared
The induction session in January 2027 will be a major milestone in the implementation of the new postgraduate medical training framework in Punjab. Thereafter, candidates will have to face the mandatory PGET requirement and the revamped selection structure.
