The 50th meeting of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) Board of Studies in Medicine took place on Monday with Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Ahsan Waheed Rathore in the chair, where the annual examination schedule for MBBS was approved.

The meeting saw participation from affiliated government and private medical college principals, including the board's convener, Prof Dr Sardar Al-Farid Zafar.

It was decided that the First Professional MBBS annual exams will commence in the last week of December, while the Second Professional MBBS annual exams are scheduled for the last week of January 2025. The Third Professional MBBS annual exams will be held in the third week of December 2024, and the Fourth Professional MBBS exams in the second week of January 2025. Additionally, the final Professional MBBS annual exams are set to take place in the first week of February 2025.

The examination schedule was developed based on feedback received from all affiliated medical colleges, which provided information regarding the commencement and conclusion of MBBS classes. A minimum of nine months of the academic year must be completed by the colleges for students to be eligible to appear in the exams, followed by one month for exam preparation.

The meeting also agreed that, following the Supreme Court's judgment, students who fail the supplementary exams cannot legally proceed to the next class. Moreover, it was decided that the identity of external examiners in practical exams would be kept completely confidential, even from the college administration.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Ahsan Waheed Rathore instructed the principals to ensure that the colleges publish the fines policy in their respective prospectuses.