ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) once again failed to satisfy the Senate Standing Committee on Health regarding the regulation of tuition fees in private medical and dental colleges.
During a meeting held earlier this week, PMDC representatives informed the parliamentary committee that their report on fee reduction was still under review by a committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. The delay drew sharp criticism from the senators, who have repeatedly urged PMDC to finalize and enforce a standardized fee structure.
Chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti, the committee expressed its displeasure over PMDC’s lack of concrete action, directing the regulatory body to resolve the issue without further delay.
Senators Slam Private Medical, Dental Colleges Over Exorbitant Fees
Senator Palwasha Khan strongly criticized private medical colleges, accusing them of functioning like a mafia by charging excessively high tuition fees.
"It is unacceptable that private institutions continue to exploit students despite repeated directives. The committee must ensure that medical colleges return any excessive fees collected in 2024," she stated.
Adding to the concerns, Senator Humayun Mohmand pointed out that some institutions were demanding as much as Rs 3 million per year, questioning the justification for such high fees.
Other committee members echoed these concerns, asking why private medical colleges continued to charge students despite PMDC’s directives prohibiting them from doing so. In response, Senator Chishti warned PMDC that it would be held accountable if such complaints persisted.
PMDC Defends Delays, Assures Implementation
Responding to the concerns, PMDC President Dr. Rizwan Taj stated that the council was still awaiting a formal response from Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar before proceeding with enforcement. However, he assured the committee that once the decision was finalized, it would be implemented without delay.
MDCAT Examination Structure to Change
In a separate development, PMDC representatives announced that the structure of the MDCAT examination was being revised.
"Each candidate will now receive a unique question paper, eliminating concerns over repeated or leaked questions," the officials explained. Additionally, they confirmed that a nationally standardized syllabus would be introduced to prevent disputes over out-of-syllabus questions.
With mounting pressure from the Senate committee, all eyes are now on PMDC to take swift action and ensure fair regulations for medical education in Pakistan.