BHMS Student Evaluation: Formative and Summative

The BHMS Amendment Regulations, 2025, issued by the National Commission for Homoeopathy, have brought clarity and structure to the assessment system in homoeopathic medical education. The revised regulations emphasise a balanced approach to evaluation by integrating both formative and summative assessments. This framework supports competency-based education, ensuring that students are assessed not only at the end of the course but throughout their learning journey.

Formative assessment refers to continuous and periodic evaluation conducted during the academic year. As per the amendment, it includes Periodic Assessments (PAs) and Term Tests (TTs), which help monitor students’ academic progress regularly. The main purpose of formative assessment is to provide feedback, identify learning gaps early, and guide students toward improvement. It plays a supportive role in learning rather than merely judging performance.

Summative assessment is the evaluation conducted at the end of each professional year through university examinations. These examinations assess the student’s overall understanding of the syllabus and the competencies acquired during that academic year. Under the amended regulations, summative assessment serves as the certifying mechanism to determine whether a student is eligible to progress to the next professional stage of the BHMS programme.

The key difference between formative and summative assessment lies in their purpose and timing. Formative assessment is continuous, diagnostic, and improvement-oriented, focusing on learning during the course. In contrast, summative assessment is comprehensive, judgment-oriented, and conducted at the end of the academic year to evaluate final achievement. While formative assessment supports learning, summative assessment validates learning outcomes.

The BHMS Amendment Regulations 2025 establish a structured and learner-centred assessment system by clearly defining formative and summative assessments. Together, they ensure continuous academic development and reliable final evaluation. This integrated approach enhances the quality of homoeopathic education and prepares students to become competent and confident medical professionals.