LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) has suspended a Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) notification allowing an increase in fees charged by medical colleges.
Justice Khalid Ishaq heard a petition filed by Central Park Medical College challenging the PMDC notification. Advocate Ramzan Dhuddy appeared on behalf of the petitioner and presented arguments before the court.
The counsel told the court that the college had collected Rs2.1 million in admission fees from students, while PMDC had issued a notification allowing an annual five per cent increase in fees.
He further argued that PMDC had also issued a notification allowing the collection of Consumer Price Index (CPI)-linked increases from students.
According to the petitioner, PMDC did not have the legal authority to issue a notification increasing medical students’ fees. The counsel argued that any changes to the relevant laws and directions regarding fee increases could only be made by Parliament.
The petitioner requested the court to declare the PMDC notification regarding the increase in medical students’ fees null and void. The court, meanwhile, suspended the notification.
Separately, PMDC has withdrawn its notification introducing a five-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme.
Under the earlier notification, the BDS programme was to be extended from four to five years from the current academic year. The notification was revised following concerns raised by dental students’ associations and directions from parliamentary committees.
PMDC has now deferred the five-year BDS programme. Under the revised arrangement, students will complete four years of academic education followed by one year of clerkship.
The BDS degree will be completed after four years of academic study, but students will be required to complete a one-year clerkship.
The move means students will not have to pay an additional year’s tuition fee. Any remuneration during the clerkship will depend on the institution concerned.
PMDC has also withdrawn the BDS framework notification issued on July 8, 2026. A comprehensive review of the academic structure, curriculum and house job framework of the BDS programme is currently underway.
The council will issue new guidelines after completing the review and has also sent a letter to the vice chancellors of all recognised universities.
