In a significant move to regulate the escalating costs of medical education, Pakistan’s Committee on Medical Education Reforms, led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, has set the annual tuition fee for private medical and dental colleges at Rs1.8 million for MBBS and BDS programs.
Previously, some institutions charged up to Rs2.7 million annually, prompting widespread concern among students and parents. The new cap aims to make medical education more accessible and includes provisions for annual increases aligned with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate over five years for MBBS and four years for BDS programs.
Institutions seeking to charge up to Rs2.5 million must provide detailed financial justifications to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), demonstrating additional educational services or facilities that warrant higher fees. This measure ensures transparency and fairness in tuition fee structures.
The health ministry has directed the PMDC to conduct independent third-party audits of private colleges to enforce compliance with the new fee structure. This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to making quality medical education affordable while maintaining institutional financial sustainability.
