The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) was unable to finalize a maximum tuition fee for the 2024-25 academic session during a meeting on Thursday. Instead, the council decided to reassess the fee structures proposed by private medical and dental institutions before making any determinations.
A PMDC Council member revealed to The News that the council remained divided on setting a fixed tuition fee for private colleges, despite recommendations from a specialized committee. The committee had proposed capping the annual fee at Rs1.2 million, but the council did not approve the suggestion.
Anticipating a possible fee ceiling, the Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) had already expressed its opposition in a formal letter to PMDC. PAMI argued that the PMDC Act does not grant the council the authority to impose tuition fees on private institutions.
Legal experts present at the meeting also advised that, under the PMDC Act, private colleges are only required to inform PMDC about their fee structures before the start of an academic session rather than having the council regulate them.
As a result, the PMDC Council directed its committee to review the existing fee structures within a week and determine whether they are justified.
Previously, a committee comprising officials from PMDC and the federal health ministry had suggested capping the annual tuition fee at Rs1,212,468 to prevent excessive charges by private colleges. Currently, tuition fees range between Rs 2.5 million and Rs 3 million annually, placing a heavy financial burden on students and parents.
According to confidential documents reviewed by The News, both PMDC and the federal health ministry were under pressure from parliamentarians and parents to regulate rising tuition fees in private medical institutions. The review found that many colleges were charging unjustified amounts, and tuition costs had increased significantly over the years.
The sub-committee’s report recommended that the proposed Rs1,212,468 fee remain fixed for the entire duration of a student’s enrollment, preventing unexpected mid-program fee hikes.
The committee also stressed the need for stricter enforcement, including:
With the PMDC Council still undecided, the future of tuition fee regulations remains uncertain, leaving students and their families in limbo.