SC orders medical colleges to refund excess fees

CJP orders audit of private medical institutes to determine fee structure

PHOTO: EXPRESS

LAHORE:
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered all private medical colleges to refund fees received in excess of Rs850,000 to the students within a week.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, passed the order while hearing a suo motu notice regarding exorbitant fee structure of private medical colleges at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry.

CJP Nisar warned private medical colleges not to rob students under the garb of education and admission fees.

“The issue is related to the future of our next generation,” said the CJP, pointing out that tuition fees should not be too high so as to rob the poor students.

He also ordered that any independent chartered firm conduct an audit of all medical colleges to determine their fee structure and expenditure.

He made it clear that services charges of the accounting firm would be paid by the private medical colleges.

People can criticise all they want, it doesn't bother me: CJP

CJP Nisar said that unfortunately, medical education had become a business rather than a life-saving profession. “Medical colleges are producing such doctors that some of them don’t even know how to check a patient’s blood pressure,” he added.


He said sanctioned private medical colleges would not be shut down but would have to fulfil all legal requirements.

Admissions already done by private medical colleges would not be annulled; however, extra fees taken from the students would be adjusted or returned accordingly, he added.

Baba Rehmatay

During the hearing, the CJP defined the character of 'Baba Rahmatay' [a wise old man] - a term he used to define the judiciary.

“Baba Rahmatay is a person who resolves people's problems,” said the CJP, explaining that he had borrowed the term from famous writer Ashfaq Ahmad’s work.

SC takes suo moto notice of fee hikes in medical colleges

He said, “Baba is a man who facilitates people.”

He said that he did not care about the criticism over his use of the term, adding that he would continue to work for public welfare regardless of opinions.

CJP Nisar had said, “The judiciary is your baba. Do not doubt its integrity.”
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