Senate Sub-Committee Investigates Hefty Medical College Fees and PMDC’s Role
The Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, convened today to address concerns regarding the escalating fees charged by private medical colleges and the role of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) in regulating these fees.
Senator Palwasha expressed concern over the unprecedented fee hikes in private medical colleges for the 2023-24 academic year. For example, Abwa Medical College, Akhtar Saeed Medical College, and Hazrat Bari Sarkar Medical College have charged up to Rs. 1.87 crore, Rs. 1.34 crore, and Rs. 1.29 crore for the MBBS program, respectively. These fees, which have surged from Rs. 8 lakh per year in 2018 to Rs. 30 lakh in 2023-24, were described as unjustifiable. Senator Palwasha criticized the PMDC for failing to regulate the private colleges, accusing it of becoming complicit in the issue.
Dr. Shaista Faisal, Registrar of the PMDC, clarified that under the 2023 Act, the council has the authority to regulate the fees charged by private medical colleges and ensure their justification. She also pointed out that prior to the new law, PMDC could regulate fees but lacked legal protection. In 2012, PMDC had fixed the fee at Rs. 5 lakh per annum, with a 5% annual increase.
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Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan questioned whether PMDC had taken any action since gaining these powers in 2023, but PMDC was unable to provide specific details.
Mirza Nasir ud din Mashud, Special Secretary of NHSR&C, informed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also formed a committee to assess the fairness of the medical colleges’ fees.
To address public concerns, Senator Palwasha invited grievances from the public about the high fees. She emphasized that the excess fees should be refunded to the parents of affected students.
The Sub-Committee has decided to restrain private medical colleges from collecting next year’s fees until the matter is resolved. Additionally, the PMDC has been instructed to review the audit report of these colleges.
Grievances can be submitted to Room No. 2, Parking Area, C-Block, Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications, G-5 Islamabad, or by calling 051-9223955.
