ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel, Wednesday, warned private medical educational institutions of strict action in case they fail to comply with the set rules and regulations.
The decision was made during a meeting of Sub-Committee of Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan to discuss the hefty fees charged by the medical colleges and the steps taken by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) in this regard.
The committee also warned private medical colleges of strict action, including revocation of registrations, if they fail to comply with the committee’s directives and the PMDC’s rules.
The committee has received complaints from students of Sargodha Medical University, stating that private medical colleges are charging hefty fees without providing sufficient facilities. The committee forwarded these complaints to the Health Ministry and recommended that the anonymity of the students be maintained.
Senator Palwasha Khan stated that the PMDC should take action against private medical colleges charging excessive fees. The committee recommended that the PMDC reimburse students for the extra fees charged before introducing the fee structure for the year 2024-25. The president of PMDC informed that the recommendations have been sent to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar regarding the fee structure for the year 2024-25.
The committee also directed the PMDC to cancel the licences of private medical colleges within two weeks if they fail to comply with the committee’s recommendations.
Regarding the non-implementation of the rebate regulations by private medical colleges in Islamabad, the president of PMDC informed that the private medical colleges have agreed to rebate the amount claimed by the students.
The committee also decided to visit the private medical colleges in Islamabad to observe the facilities provided to students in exchange for the hefty fees. The sub-committee took action after learning that some private institutions had started issuing fee vouchers despite ongoing investigations.
The sub-committee chairperson, Senator Palwasha Khan, highlighted the staggering increase in medical college fees over recent years.
“Some institutions have raised annual fees from Rs 800,000 in 2018 to over Rs 3 million in 2023-24, which is a blatant exploitation of students and their families.”
The chair directed the PMDC president and the registrar of strictly implementing set rules and regulations, so that no educational institution can violate the laws and exploit the situation as witnessed in the past.
Registrar PMDC Dr Shaista Faisal informed the committee that the council is authorised to regulate fee structures under the PMDC Act, 2023. She noted that the earlier attempts to regulate fees were not legally enforceable, but the 2023 Act now empowers the council to act decisively.
In 2012, the PMDC capped annual fees for private medical colleges at Rs500,000 with a five percent annual increase, but this regulation was disregarded by many institutions. Dr Shaista Faisal acknowledged the failure of PMDC to act in recent years and assured the committee that directives would be issued after consulting PMDC President Prof Rizwan Taj.
National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Special Secretary Mirza Nasiruddin Mashud informed the committee that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed a high-level committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to examine the reason for fees charged by private medical colleges.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025