PMDC “prohibits” medical colleges from collecting fees.

According to specifics, the PMDC has advised the institutions to refrain from collecting fees in response to a Senate Committee request. The Senate’s Health Subcommittee had recommended that fee collection be halted.

Until the Medical Education Committee makes its recommendations, fee collection has been suspended. The Prime Minister established this committee to examine the matter, with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar serving as its head.

Private medical colleges and universities are currently being assessed by the committee in terms of their standards and problems. Private medical schools have reportedly collected over Rs15 million in fees over the last five years, according to the sources.

In 2012, the PMDC set a Rs500,000 annual price cap for private medical schools, with a 5% annual rise. However, several institutions ignored this rule.

It should be mentioned that in July of last year, the PMDC requested the legal opinion of the health ministry in order to standardize the price structure. But even after nearly six months, the problem of excessive fees remained unresolved.

To settle the matter before fresh admissions to the private institutions, the council at the time asked the ministry to consult the Law and Justice Department within 15 days so that the council could make a judgment.