KARACHI – Private Medical Colleges have been ordered to cease fee collection by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) amid pending review by Medical Education Committee.
The recent move comes amid recommendation from Senate Committee, with members advising that fee collection be suspended until further recommendations are made. The ban will remain in effect until Medical Education Committee, led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, submits its recommendations.
The committee was established by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review challenges faced by private medical universities and colleges. These institutions have collected over Rs1.5 crore in fees in recent times.
The country’s top medical authority imposed a cap on annual fee for private medical colleges at Rs5lac, with a 5pc increase each year. Most of medical colleges have defied this regulation, charging hefty fees from students.
PMDC also approached health ministry for legal opinion to standardize fee structure, while no resolution has been reached after several months. The council had directed ministry to consult with Law and Justice Department within two weeks so that the matter could be addressed before new student admissions.
