Pakistan’s Private Dental Colleges Scrutinized Over Exorbitant Fee Hikes

Government Committee to Review Fee Structure

PAKISTAN: A committee formed by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) is set to convene this week to address the contentious issue of rationalizing fees for private medical and dental colleges. Despite previous efforts, the PMDC has been unsuccessful in resolving this matter.

Former caretaker health minister, Dr. Nadeem Jan, revealed that he had initiated steps towards fee rationalization during his tenure, but the desired outcome was not achieved before his term ended. “In fact, the committee had finalized the fees at less than Rs. 2 million per annum, but I rejected it and insisted on further reducing it,” he told a national daily.

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Committee to Negotiate with Private Institutions

According to a PMDC official, a three-member committee, led by Prof Dr. Mohammad Zubair Khan, is currently examining the matter. The committee’s upcoming meeting is scheduled for May 8 (Wednesday). The official stated, “The next meeting of the committee is scheduled on Wednesday, in which we will push PAMI to reduce the fee. However, the PMDC Act has not empowered us [PMDC] to take any action if PAMI refuses to reduce the fees.”

It should be noted that medical and dental colleges have raised their annual fees by up to Rs. 800,000 for the ongoing session that commenced in February. A senior PMDC official disclosed that while the academic council proposed a fee amount, it was ultimately rejected by the council with instructions to review it. “Unfortunately, the Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) increased the fees on its own,” he stated.

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Colleges Justify Fee Hikes

The official added that PAMI refused to reduce the fee, citing an increase in electricity tariffs and other utility services. In January, PMDC requested colleges to justify the abrupt rise in fees and reminded them of their obligation to submit annual financial statements and notify PMDC of any fee hikes three months before the start of the new session.

Official documents reveal substantial fee hikes across several private medical and dental colleges. For instance, Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College Lahore has increased its annual MBBS fee from approximately Rs. 1.8 million to over Rs. 2.6 million. Similarly, HBS Medical and Dental College Islamabad has raised its fee from Rs. 1.55 million to over Rs. 2.2 million, while the Aga Khan University Karachi has increased its annual fees for the MBBS program from Rs. 2.6 million to over Rs. 3 million.

As the PMDC committee prepares to engage with private institutions, the nation awaits a resolution to this contentious issue, ensuring affordable access to medical education for deserving students.