Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM) 2024: All Rules of Level-III Training in Punjab

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Every doctor who gets FCPS, MD, MS or MDS training through the Central Induction Policy (CIP) / Punjab Residency Program (PRP) is bound by one rulebook: the Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM) of Post-Graduate Residency of Level-III Programs. It was notified by the Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education (SHC&ME) Department on 15 May 2024 (No. SO(ME-I)7-1/2024(CIP)) and replaced the earlier PPM of 11 March 2021.

The PPM applies from the July 2024 induction onwards. It is still the latest PPM. The notifications issued after it (for example 17 March 2026 and 21 August 2026) only change the eligibility and scoring criteria under Clauses 14(3) and 15. All other rules (joining, stipend, leave, freezing, transfer, exit, termination) still come from the 2024 PPM.

For the current merit formula, see Merit Criteria: Central Induction Policy.

What the PPM covers

Topic PPM clause Detailed guide
Committees (PGAC, Grievance, Hardship) 5 This page
Admission system, quotas and seat split 6 This page
Consent, joining and debarment 6.29 to 6.32, 7.9, 12.1 to 12.2 Consent and joining rules
Stipend, salary and deputation 6.27, 6.28, 7.2 to 7.8 Stipend and deputation rules
Leave (28 days, Hajj, maternity, ex-Pakistan) 8 Leave rules
Freezing of training 9 Freezing rules
Wedlock policy and transfer 10, 11 Transfer and wedlock rules
Change of specialty 6.36, 7.11 Change of specialty
Exit and resignation 12 Exit and resignation penalties
Cancellation, termination and discipline 6.25, 13 Termination and discipline
Duration, extension, supervisors and DHQ rotation 6.6 to 6.11, 6.35, 7.1 How training is run

The three committees

  • Post-Graduate Admission Committee (PGAC): convened by the Secretary SHC&ME. It frames the rules of Level-III residency and decides cases sent by the Hardship and Grievance Committees. The criteria notifications are issued on its decisions.
  • Grievance Committee: convened by the Vice Chancellor, Fatima Jinnah Medical University. It hears complaints of applicants about the admission process. A grievance must be raised within three days of the gazette notification; no grievance is accepted after the merit list is displayed.
  • Hardship Committee: convened by the Vice Chancellor, King Edward Medical University. It handles problems of trainees after joining: transfer, change of specialty, change of supervisor or institution. It meets at least once every quarter.

How admission works

  • Admission is centralized, computerized and merit-cum-availability based (Clause 6.12).
  • Induction happens twice a year, in January and July. Training starts on 1 January and 1 July, and half of the seats are filled in each cycle (Clause 6.13).
  • Seats are divided between CPSP (FCPS) and universities (MD/MS/MDS) on a 50:50 basis where a site is approved by both. If only one body has approved a site, only its 50% share is filled (Clauses 6.16, 6.17).
  • As a general rule, one PG trainee is inducted for every ten beds per induction (except departments without beds, such as Anaesthesia and Radiology). Each Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor should get at least one trainee per induction, and the HOD at least two (Clauses 6.7, 6.10).
  • A candidate who has passed Part-I of both FCPS and MD/MS/MDS can apply on both forms and use the merit on each.

Quota of seats (Clause 6.14)

Category Share
Punjab 93%
Disabled candidates of Punjab (Anaesthesia, Radiology and Pathology) 1%
AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad 2%
Balochistan, KPK and Sindh 2%
Foreign candidates 2%

Documents are checked three times

The application data and scanned documents are verified during application processing, at the time of joining the teaching institution, and again during training. If anything is found wrong or forged, the application is rejected or the training is discontinued, the candidate is debarred for two consecutive years, and any stipend received is recovered.

Other important rules

  • PG training is full-time and residential. Private practice, second jobs, ad hoc or locum work are not allowed (Clause 6.25).
  • There is no honorary residency (Clause 6.26).
  • A doctor who has already completed one Level-III training at government expense cannot apply again (Clause 6.41).
  • Time spent in PG training is not counted as job experience (Clause 6.43).
  • Trainees must leave the training slot when the tenure ends, whether or not they have passed the final exam (Clause 6.37).
  • Instructions and notifications issued later for Level-III training become part of the PPM (Clause 17).

Read more PPM rules

Applying for the January 2027 intake? See the December 2026-Jan 2027 Induction page for the policy, merit criteria, CIP calculator and seat distribution.

Source: Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM) of Post-Graduate Residency of Level-III Programs, SHC&ME Department, Government of the Punjab, notified 15 May 2024. Download the PPM (PDF). Rules can change through later notifications, so always check the latest notification of the SHC&ME Department and the PRP portal.

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