ISLAMABAD - Taking strict action on an application seeking action against Private Medical and Dental Colleges (PM&DC) for alleged violation of the fee criteria set by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC), Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry issued notices to Secretary PM&DC and Attorney General to submit a comprehensive report on February 3, 2010. Chief Justice took the action on a plea of Amjad Khan, Assistant Professor, Govt Degree College Mian Channu. In his application, Prof Amjad Khan prayed that the PM&DC might be directed to fix minimum fee Rs500,000 instead of Rs800,000. Prof Amjad also said in his application that majority of private medical institutions were reportedly involved in business activities, as they were fleecing students in the name of annual fee. In this regard, the Supreme Court sought a comprehensive report from authorities concerned (PM&DC) with regard to fee criteria. The apex court also directed all the medical colleges to furnish Para-wise comments through the PM&DC on the said date. Earlier, the PM&DC submitted a report before the federal government last year that the PM&DC had neither given any fee structure to any college nor was involved in any related activity. However, the PM&DC was in consultation with the federal government to rationalise fee structure of the Private Medical and Dental Colleges, the report explained. Meanwhile, it was also submitted by the applicant that the public sector medical colleges charged about Rs15,000 as annual fee (just over Rs1,000 per month). The private medical colleges were also charging up to Rs1.5 million to accommodate even ineligible candidates in the entrance test, it further explained. The Private Medical & Dental Colleges take a bond from the selected students to complete 5-year MBBS course from the college - thus depriving them to get admission to the public sector medical & dental colleges in Punjab, the applicant further contended. In this respect, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry passed an order in Human Rights case saying the application should be treated as a petition under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution. It will be further proceeded on February 3.