PMDC finalizes decision to reduce medical college fees

PMDC finalizes directive to reduce medical education fees.
The order will be implemented by provincial governments.
The annual tuition fee for MBBS and BDS programs at private colleges is set at Rs1.8 million.

Sources reported on Tuesday that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has finalized an official directive to reduce medical education fees.

The sources said that the PMDC will send the fee reduction order to provincial governments for implementation. The Medical Education Committee, formed under the directive of the prime minister, determined the new fee structure.

The order caps the annual tuition fee for MBBS and BDS programs at private colleges at Rs1.8 million. This fee cap will apply uniformly across all academic years of the MBBS and BDS programs.

Starting with the 2025 session, colleges will impose a maximum annual fee increase of 5%. From the 2026 session onward, any fee increase will be tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The directive states that colleges must refund or adjust any excess fees they have charged.

The directive states that no private medical college can charge fees beyond the set limit without prior approval from PMDC.

Colleges must submit complete financial details to the PMDC to justify higher fees. The PMDC will take legal action against institutions that fail to comply with the new fee regulations.

In 2012, the PMDC capped annual fees for private medical colleges at Rs500,000 with a five percent annual increase, but many institutions disregarded this regulation.

It is notable that in July last year, the PMDC sought the health ministry’s legal opinion to bring uniformity to the fee structure. However, the health ministry did not address the issue of exorbitant fees even after almost six months.