LAHORE:The University of Health Sciences (UHS), has approved the academic calendar for the Fall Semester 2026 and decided that classes in BS Allied Health Sciences (AHS) programmes at its affiliated institutions across Punjab must commence by November 16.
Admissions against vacant seats will be completed through waiting lists by November 30, with no fresh advertisements to be issued for these seats.The decisions were taken at the 43rd meeting of the Board of Studies for Allied Health Sciences, chaired by UHS Vice Chancellor Maj Gen (retd) Prof Sohail Sabir. Heads of affiliated colleges attended the meeting, which reviewed admissions, examinations and measures to improve teaching standards.
The meeting also decided that admissions to BS programmes next year would begin after the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT). Candidates securing 50 per cent or more marks in MDCAT would be exempted from the entrance test for BS programmes.
According to the approved academic calendar, final examinations for the first semester of Fall 2026 will begin on April 5, 2027, while examinations for the second semester will commence on September 13, 2027. Panels of paper setters and examiners for the academic year 2026-27 were also approved.
Addressing the meeting, Prof Sabir said that UHS would work to standardise the practical skills of students enrolled in Allied Health Sciences programmes across Punjab. A central simulation laboratory would be developed in collaboration with Robert Gordon University, while the potential use of artificial intelligence in teaching was also under consideration.
He said practical work on introducing modern teaching methods and skills-development techniques would begin over the next two to three months. Performance dashboards would also be introduced to monitor affiliated institutions and help identify areas requiring improvement in teaching quality and student outcomes.
The vice chancellor said persistent failures in professional examinations would be examined not only in terms of students' performance but also the quality of teaching and faculty effectiveness. Where a large number of students failed professional examinations, the relevant faculty would be asked to explain the reasons, he added.
'Institutions must ensure that students receive proper teaching and guidance,' Prof Sabir said, stressing that the quality of training imparted to Allied Health Sciences students would ultimately affect their ability to provide appropriate care to patients.
He further said any decision to increase seats in Allied Health Sciences institutions would be based on institutional performance and students' examination results. Colleges producing better results would be given preference when additional seats were considered.
