Pakistan’s medical and dental colleges face scrutiny as the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) issued show-cause notices to twelve institutions accused of charging tuition fees exceeding the council-mandated cap of 1.8 million Pakistani Rupees (approximately $6,400 USD), according to a statement released Thursday by PMDC President Professor Rizwan Taj.
The action comes amid ongoing efforts to regulate fees in the country’s private medical education sector. Professor Taj, in a conversation with media representatives, stated the PMDC is currently evaluating an additional forty cases, previously dismissed by the courts and subsequently referred back to the council for review.
“The council has issued show-cause notices to 12 medical colleges and universities, and we are currently evaluating 40 more cases after their petitions were dismissed by the court and subsequently referred to the PMDC,” Taj said.
The PMDC recently reached an agreement with the Pakistan Association of Medical Institutions (PAMI), under which member institutions will withdraw ongoing litigation related to the fee cap and provide relief to students. A follow-up meeting with PAMI is scheduled for later this month, where institutions seeking to increase fees up to a maximum of 2.5 million Pakistani Rupees (approximately $8,800 USD) will be required to submit detailed financial justifications for consideration.
Any proposed fee increases will undergo a “proper valuation process” and require full PMDC approval, Taj emphasized. Institutions found to be charging fees above the approved limit, without prior authorization, will be compelled to offer relief to students, either through refunds or adjustments to the following academic year’s tuition.
“Any excessive fees will either be refunded to students or adjusted in the next academic year,” Taj stated.
The PMDC has been actively issuing public notices and awareness campaigns to inform prospective students and their families about the approved fee structure, urging them not to pay amounts exceeding the established cap. The current fee cap stems from a decision made last year by the Committee on Medical Education Reforms, formed at the direction of the prime minister and chaired by the deputy prime minister.
The committee initially capped annual tuition fees at 1.8 million Pakistani Rupees for both MBBS and BDS programs in private medical and dental colleges. Institutions seeking to charge up to 2.5 million Pakistani Rupees were required to provide detailed financial justifications, including comparisons with similar institutions and documentation of service enhancements.
The PMDC clarified that any future fee increases beyond 2026 will be linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), with separate notifications issued to detail any adjustments.
