Senate Targets MDCAT “Tuition Mafia” as Medical College Fees Jump From Rs18 Lakh to Rs25 Lakh
Nadeem Tanoli
Islamabad: A major controversy erupted in the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination after lawmakers accused the MDCAT “tuition mafia” of exploiting students and families through billions of rupees in coaching businesses while private medical college fees continue to rise sharply across Pakistan.
The committee, chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti, announced strict steps to investigate both the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and the growing financial burden on medical students.
During the meeting, officials admitted that delays in MDCAT examinations had created severe mental stress for students and opened the door for private academies to make huge profits by extending preparation periods.
A senior official told the committee that MDCAT coaching centers across the country had become a powerful “tuition mafia” earning billions of rupees by making emotional promises to students and parents.
“These academies tell students ‘we will not let you fail,’ and whenever exams are delayed, they charge even more fees,” the committee was informed.
The issue became more serious when senators discussed how middle class and poor families are struggling to pay separate coaching fees on top of already expensive education costs.
Officials said the government now wants students to pass MDCAT using only their normal FSc preparation instead of depending on expensive private academies.
The committee was informed that in previous years MDCAT exams were delayed for seven to nine months after intermediate exams, leaving students stuck in what officials described as “trauma” and uncertainty.
To stop delays and reduce opportunities for exploitation, the ministry reviewed the schedules of all education boards, including Federal Board, Cambridge and Aga Khan Board.
Officials informed the committee that the last FSc examination in Pakistan, conducted by the AJK Board, will finish on July 20, 2026.
After discussions, the ministry officially announced before the Senate committee that the next MDCAT examination will be held on August 16, 2026.
Lawmakers said the fixed and shorter timeline would block coaching centers from creating extra preparation periods simply to collect more money from students.
The meeting also focused heavily on the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council itself.
The chairman admitted that PMDC related matters repeatedly create frustration in committee meetings because senators remain dissatisfied with the authority’s responses.
The Senate body formally reviewed issues related to PMDC disciplinary committees, pending complaints against doctors, delays in licensing cases involving foreign and local medical graduates, and the legal powers of the PMDC president.
However, one of the strongest reactions came when senators discussed the sudden rise in private medical college fees.
The chairman revealed that fees had increased from nearly Rs18 lakh to Rs25 lakh, raising serious questions about regulation and affordability.
To investigate the matter, the committee formed a special sub committee with representation from all provinces.
The committee gave the sub committee two months to investigate PMDC affairs, MDCAT related issues and the sharp increase in medical college fees.
Senators warned that unchecked fee hikes and the growing tuition industry are turning medical education into a business that many talented students can no longer afford.
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