Private medical colleges in Pakistan are pushing back against a recent decision by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to limit how much they can charge students. The Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) has expressed strong concerns, saying that private colleges may not be able to survive financially if the new rules are enforced.
PMDC recently issued a notification stating that private medical and dental colleges can charge a maximum fee of Rs. 1.8 million per year. This fee cap will apply starting from the 2025 academic session, with a small yearly increase of 5 percent allowed after that.
But PAMI has rejected this decision. They believe the limit is too low and cannot support the high operational costs of private institutions. PAMI called the new cap “premature” and “unrealistic.”
The issue of Private Medical Colleges Increase Fees is now a growing debate between PMDC and PAMI. While the government wants to keep education affordable, private institutions say they need more freedom to manage their financial needs. The coming weeks may be crucial in deciding how this matter will be resolved—and how it will affect thousands of medical students across Pakistan.
Private Colleges Already Collected Higher Fees
According to Dr. Riaz Janjua, the Secretary General of PAMI, many private colleges had already announced and collected their fees for the upcoming academic year. These fees were based on Section 20(7) of the PMDC Act 2022, which allows colleges to decide their fees before the admission process begins.
He said that these new rules should not be applied after the process has already started. “Fees that have already been collected cannot be refunded or changed,” Dr. Janjua explained.
Government Was Aware of Fee Range
Dr. Janjua also shared that there had been a meeting led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, where it was discussed that private colleges charging between Rs. 1.8 million and Rs. 2.5 million would not be penalized, but they would have to submit their financial records and justifications to the PMDC.
During the meeting, there was also a plan to create a special fee committee. This committee would include members from both PMDC and PAMI, and it would look at audit reports to decide if the fees charged were fair. However, that committee has not yet been officially set up.
PAMI’s New Proposal
In response to the situation, PAMI has now suggested that all private medical colleges should be allowed to charge up to Rs. 2.6 million without any further checks. They are also demanding that the maximum fee cap be increased to at least Rs. 3.2 million.
PAMI argues that private colleges need this flexibility to cover their rising expenses. These include the cost of hiring qualified teachers, maintaining medical equipment, and improving infrastructure for students.
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