Islamabad: Pakistan Medical and Dental Council officials said on Sunday that private medical and dental colleges which have charged students more than the agreed tuition cap will be required to refund the excess amount, as PMDC and the Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions agreed to fix annual tuition fees for MBBS and BDS programmes at Rs1.8 million for the 2025–26 session.
The clarification came in a joint statement issued by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions, reaffirming that any fee charged beyond the capped amount without approval would be unlawful and subject to regulatory action. PMDC officials said refunds would be mandatory wherever overcharging had occurred.
According to the statement, the decision follows detailed deliberations by a committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, which met on December 18, 2025, and unequivocally reaffirmed PMDC’s earlier decision to cap tuition fees for private medical and dental institutions at Rs1.8 million in accordance with the law.
PMDC said the cap was finalised after a consultative fee rationalisation process that included scrutiny of audited financial accounts, cost per student data, stakeholder participation and legal vetting. The annual tuition fee of Rs1.8 million applies to MBBS and BDS programmes and does not include ancillary charges such as hostel, transport, university or examination fees.
The statement allows a maximum annual increase of five percent for the 2025–26 session, with future adjustments linked to the Consumer Price Index, as notified by PMDC. It also sets a ceiling on profitability, stating that private medical and dental colleges may earn a maximum profit of 20 percent of revenue.
PMDC warned that no private institution is permitted to charge tuition above Rs1.8 million per annum without approval, and any amount collected beyond the cap would be considered unauthorised. Officials said enforcement action would follow in cases of non-compliance, alongside refunds to affected students.
Under the agreed framework, institutions may apply to PMDC for conditional fee enhancement beyond Rs1.8 million and up to a maximum of Rs2.5 million, strictly on the basis of audited financial accounts. Bank statements or tax returns will not be required for this purpose. The fee approved for individual colleges for the 2025–26 session, based on audited accounts, will also be applicable to the 2024–25 session. Any dispute arising from this process will be settled by a fee committee that includes three representatives from PAMI, whose decision will be final.
In light of the reaffirmed fee cap and the regulatory framework for conditional enhancement, PAMI announced the withdrawal of its petition pending before the Islamabad High Court. PMDC said it would continue to enforce the tuition fee cap and ensure strict compliance across all private medical and dental institutions.
Both PMDC and PAMI reiterated their commitment to protecting students and the public interest through firm regulation of tuition fees, while ensuring transparency, accountability and quality in medical and dental education. They also acknowledged the binding nature of the fee cap and pledged full compliance with PMDC’s regulatory directives.