LAHORE: In a move to streamline examination processes and reduce costs, the University of Health Sciences (UHS) has slashed the number of pages in answer books by half for the upcoming professional examinations in 2023.

The decision, part of broader examination reforms, aims to compel candidates to provide concise and focused answers to short essay questions (SEQs), aligning with the university's commitment to efficiency.

Previously, answer books for the SEQs papers comprised 16 pages, with candidates required to answer only three questions. However, analysis revealed that candidates typically utilized only 5 to 6 pages, leading to unnecessary paper wastage. In response, the UHS Committee for Conduct of Examinations (CCE) decided, in a meeting, to halve the number of pages in the answer book.

Addressing head examiners and examiners of MBBS and BDS professional examinations, on Wednesday, UHS vice-chancellor Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore emphasized that this initiative is expected to yield substantial annual savings of approximately Rs 20 million for the university.

The key objective, however, behind this decision is to encourage students to incorporate essential key points, words, ideas, and phrases sought by examiners, promoting a more targeted and efficient examination process, he maintained.

This cost-effective measure not only aligns with the university's commitment to fiscal responsibility but also reflects a proactive approach to enhance the quality and relevance of student responses in professional examinations, Prof. Rathore said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023