The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has dismissed multiple petitions filed by students of medical colleges in Sindh who sought permission to pay their tuition fees in Pakistani rupees after securing admission under the foreign/overseas quota.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, heard the appeals and upheld an earlier ruling of the Sindh High Court (SHC), which had rejected the students’ writ petitions.
Counsel for the students argued that the universities themselves admitted the petitioners under the overseas quota even though they had completed their education in Pakistan.
He also claimed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) failed to serve show-cause notices properly and that students should not suffer due to universities’ mistakes.
However, PMDC’s counsel told the court that the students had voluntarily applied under the overseas quota and had paid fees in foreign currency for two academic years before challenging the arrangement.
He argued that both the students and the institutions shared responsibility for admissions under the incorrect quota.
After hearing arguments, the FCC ruled that the students were not entitled to switch to local-currency fees and dismissed their appeals.
The foreign quota in Pakistani medical colleges reserves 5 to 15 per cent of seats for international students and overseas Pakistanis.
These admissions, regulated by the PMDC, require higher fees in foreign currency and follow a separate merit system.
The ruling reinforces the existing regulatory framework governing overseas admissions in medical institutions.