LAHORE – Punjab Department of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education jacked up tuition fees for MBBS and BDS programmes at government medical and dental colleges from Rs15,000 to Rs50,000.
The steep hike of Rs35,000 represents an increase of more than 233 per cent over the previous fee, raising concerns about the affordability of medical education for students from middle- and low-income families.
The revised tuition fee will apply to students admitted this year, while those enrolled in previous years will continue to pay the old fee of Rs15,000. The decision means that newly admitted students will face substantially higher tuition costs than their senior counterparts, creating a significant financial challenge for families already struggling to meet the expenses associated with medical education.
Medical and dental programmes require years of study and involve additional costs beyond tuition fees, including accommodation, transport, books and other educational expenses. The increase could place further pressure on household budgets and make pursuing a medical career more difficult for students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
The fee revision has raised questions about access to affordable medical education in public-sector institutions, which are an important route for students seeking to enter the medical profession without the substantially higher costs often associated with private colleges.
With the revised fee structure applying to this year’s intake, prospective medical and dental students and their families will have to account for the increased tuition costs as they prepare for admission.
News Desk
The writer is a staff member.