ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has approved recommendations to regulate fees for private medical and dental colleges, marking a significant step toward making medical education more affordable.
The recommendations have been forwarded to a special committee for final review, and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who chairs the committee on medical education, will make the official announcement.
According to sources, the proposed minimum annual fee for private medical colleges is set at Rs1.8 million, while the maximum limit is recommended at Rs2.5 million. This comes after an earlier proposal suggesting fees between Rs1.2 to 1.5 million was rejected by private medical college representatives. Currently, private institutions charge between Rs2.5 to 3.5 million annually.
Additionally, an annual fee increase of 5% has been proposed, ensuring a gradual adjustment instead of sharp hikes. The recommendations also introduce a quota for social welfare patients, with 35% of beds in private medical college-affiliated hospitals allocated for them.
Private medical colleges will also be required to provide five scholarships per year and offer flexible installment plans for underprivileged students to make medical education more accessible.
The sources confirmed that representatives of private medical and dental colleges have agreed to these proposals, suggesting a broad consensus on implementing the new fee structure.
In 2012, PMDC had capped private medical college fees at Rs500,000 per year, with a 5% annual increase, but many institutions disregarded the regulation. Last year, PMDC sought legal guidance from the health ministry to standardize the fee structure, yet the issue remained unresolved for six months.
The latest move aims to bring much-needed uniformity and affordability to private medical education, benefiting aspiring doctors and dentists across the country.
