PMDC moves to standardize private medical, dental college fees to curb rising costs

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) is taking significant steps to regulate tuition fees in private medical and dental colleges to address public concerns over the skyrocketing cost of medical education in Pakistan. In its second subcommittee meeting, PMDC deliberated on establishing a standardized fee structure to ensure affordability, transparency, and quality in medical and dental education.

Ensuring affordable, transparent fee structures

The rising tuition fees in private medical and dental colleges have been a growing concern for students, parents, and stakeholders. PMDC’s latest meeting focused on balancing educational affordability while ensuring the financial sustainability of institutions. The council emphasized the need to curb arbitrary fee hikes, which have long been a challenge for aspiring doctors and dentists.

The meeting brought together key representatives from private medical and dental colleges, education policy experts, law specialists, and chartered accountants. The primary agenda was to rationalize tuition fees, ensuring they align with both institutional operating costs and public affordability.

Key discussion points: A transparent, sustainable model

During the meeting, several critical areas were reviewed to build a structured and equitable fee policy, including:
✔ Auditing medical college expenses – Operating costs such as faculty salaries, infrastructure maintenance, laboratory expenses, and administrative costs were analyzed to determine justified tuition rates.
✔ Setting a maximum tuition fee cap – A critical move to prevent exploitative fee increases while maintaining high educational standards.
✔ Mandatory fee disclosure – PMDC instructed all private medical and dental colleges to display tuition fees on their official websites and admission brochures for greater transparency.
✔ Oversight & compliance committee – The committee proposed forming a monitoring body to ensure compliance with standardized fees and introduce penalties for overcharging institutions.
✔ Student financial relief measures – The council pushed for scholarships and installment-based payment plans to support students from low-income backgrounds.

Resistance from private colleges & the way forward

Initial proposals from private institutions did not fully align with public expectations. However, after rigorous debate and negotiation, PMDC and stakeholders agreed to revise tuition fees to ensure they remain within reasonable limits, enabling institutions to deliver quality education without financial exploitation.

The PMDC President, Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj, emphasized that this initiative will ultimately establish a maximum tuition fee cap, providing financial relief to students and parents while ensuring the sustainability of private institutions.

All final recommendations from the subcommittee will be presented to the Medical Education Committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, for final approval.

PMDC has assured that further details and the official fee structure will be shared soon through official channels. Students, parents, and stakeholders are encouraged to stay updated on this critical development that will shape the future of medical and dental education in Pakistan.