The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has permitted 19 medical and dental colleges to increase their annual tuition fees, while applications from 20 other institutions have been deferred due to incomplete documentation and other shortcomings.
According to a notification issued by the council, the decision was made following recommendations by the Committee on Medical Education formed by Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Under the new approval, the annual fee for the selected institutions may increase to Rs. 2,147,483, including ancillary charges.
Previously, the council had capped the annual fee for medical and dental colleges at Rs1.8 million, allowing a five percent annual increase.
For the current academic year, the fee limit has been set at Rs. 1.89 million with the same increase. Later, authorities decided that future fee adjustments would consider the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Among the colleges allowed to raise fees are **CMH Medical College, Kharian; Central Park Medical College, Lahore; Niazi Medical and Dental College, Sargodha; University Medical and Dental College, Faisalabad; FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore; Rehman Medical and Dental College, Peshawar; and Islamabad Medical and Dental College.
Several other institutions across the country have also received approval.
However, the council deferred 20 applications after colleges failed to submit required documents, including audit reports and financial records. Meanwhile, 72 medical and dental colleges did not apply for any fee increase.
Parents of medical students have expressed concern over the lack of clarity in the notification. They have urged the council to explain whether the newly approved fee will be final or if institutions may impose additional charges under different categories.
Some parents also complained that students paid excessive fees during the 2023–24 session, ranging from Rs2.6 million to Rs. 2.8 million, but no refunds or adjustments have been made despite earlier instructions issued by the council.
Parents have called for clearer guidelines to ensure transparency in the fee structure and to address unresolved issues related to previous payments.