The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has issued show-cause notices to 45 private medical colleges in Pakistan following allegations that they are overcharging students. The regulator's action comes after reports surfaced that these institutions are demanding fees significantly higher than the officially prescribed limits.
During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Health on Wednesday, committee member Dr. Shazia Soomro revealed that some colleges are charging students up to Rs600,000 over and above the approved amount. The PMDC, which serves as the primary regulator for medical education in the country, confirmed it has initiated formal proceedings against the offending institutions.
Parliamentary Scrutiny of Fee Structures
The National Assembly committee, chaired by Dr. Mahesh Kumar, expressed serious concern over the financial burden placed on medical students. In response to the findings, the committee has directed the PMDC to submit detailed inspection reports for all private medical colleges covering the last two years. This move aims to identify systemic violations of the medical college fees in Pakistan and ensure transparency in how these institutions operate.
Lawmakers emphasized that private medical colleges must adhere to the PMDC fee policy to ensure that medical education remains accessible to merit-based students. The council is now expected to review the responses to the show-cause notices before deciding on further penalties or regulatory actions.
Updates on MDCAT and Hospital Audits
Beyond the fee controversy, the committee addressed the long-standing issue of Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) validity. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal informed the members that the ministry has approved a proposal to extend the validity of MDCAT results to three years. However, the implementation of this decision is currently awaiting final approval from the federal cabinet.
The meeting also saw a heated exchange regarding the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Dr. Soomro questioned the delay in acting upon inquiry findings at the hospital and demanded an audit of Rs22 billion provided to the facility over the last three years. The Health Minister clarified that the ministry has implemented its own recommendations and has referred further investigations to the Ministry of Interior.
Aasan alfaaz mein
PMDC ne 45 private medical colleges ko notice jari kiya hai kyunke wo students se tay shuda fees se zyada paise le rahe thay. Kuch colleges 6 lakh rupay tak izafi maang rahe hain. Iske ilawa, MDCAT ke result ki muddat 3 saal karne ki tajweez cabinet ko bhej di gayi hai. Iska matlab hai ke ab medical colleges ko sarkari qanoon ke mutabiq fees leni hogi.
