The government of Pakistan has decided to cap the fees of private medical and dental colleges to regulate rising costs, as reported by ARY News. Some institutions currently charge up to Rs. 3.5 million per year, making medical education unaffordable for many students. To address this issue, the government plans to introduce a maximum fee limit, ensuring that the new structure is lower than the existing fees. Consultations on this matter have been completed, and a final decision is expected soon.
Earlier, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) had taken measures to curb exorbitant fees by banning fee collection in private medical and dental colleges. The Senate Committee recommended suspending fee collection until a structured review was conducted. In response, the Medical Education Committee, led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, was formed to assess the situation.
Efforts to regulate fees are not new. In 2012, PMDC capped annual fees at Rs. 500,000 with a 5% yearly increase, but many colleges disregarded the rule. Similarly, in July 2024, PMDC sought the Health Ministry’s legal opinion on enforcing a uniform fee structure, but the issue remained unresolved. With the government now stepping in, a final decision on the fee cap is anticipated soon, ensuring greater accessibility to quality medical education.
