SZMDC ordered to charge half fee from students
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday ordered the administration of Shaikh Zayed Medical and Dental College to charge half fee from students till final decision of petition challenging fee...
February 28, 2012
Justice Muhammad Khalid Mehmood Khan passed the order on a petition filed by Joint Secretary Pakistan Medical Association Dr Salman Kazmi.
Earlier, SZMDC's counsel appearing before the court submitted that the college did not receive any grant from the federal or provincial governments and it was being operated from fee received from students.
However, the petitioner's counsel Noshab A Khan opposed the contentions submitting that Shaikh Zayed hospital received Rs 1.25 billion from the federal government annually in past and after 18th amendment it demanded Rs 2.5 billion from the provincial government to run the hospital affairs.
He contended that fee structure of other public colleges was about 12000-15000 but SZMDC was receiving approximately Rs 500,000 per year from the students whereas they were selected through a test.
The court after hearing the arguments ordered administration to receive half fee till final decision of petition.
The petitioner, in his petition, submitted that SZMDC was under the administrative control of the federal government but it was charging Rs 480,000 from students as tution fee for each academic year whereas other Public sector medical and dental institutions in Punjab was charging Rs 12000-14000 from students as tuition fee.
The petitioner pleaded the court to declare the SZMDC fee structure as illegal and respondents be directed to bring it at par with other medical and dental institutions in Punjab. (APP)
