The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) has urged Union health ministry to incorporate Bachelor of Pharmacy (B Pharm) as a qualification for recruitment as a food safety officer and food analyst under Food Safety and Standards Rules 2011.
The IPA in a letter to JP Nadda, minister of health & family welfare stated that Bachelor of Pharmacy course by virtue of its curriculum content and training becomes one of the best-suited qualifications for performing the duties of food safety officer and food analysts. B Pharm qualified personnel have showed their competence in these areas in the past. Therefore Bachelor of Pharmacy (B Pharm) and Master of Pharmacy (M Pharm) can be made as one of the qualifications for the said posts by amending Rule 2.1.3 and 2.1.4 of Food Safety and Standards Rules 2011.
Rule 2.1.3 of the Food Safety and Standards Rules 2011 prescribes that Food Safety Officer shall be a whole time officer and shall, on the date on which he is so appointed, possess the following: 1) A degree in Food Technology or Dairy Technology or Biotechnology or Oil Technology or Agricultural Science or 2) Veterinary Science or Biochemistry or Microbiology or Masters Degree in Chemistry or 3) Any other equivalent/recognized qualification notified by the central government, and 4) Has successfully completed training as specified by the Food Authority in a recognized institute or institution approved for the purpose.
And Rule 2.1.4 of Food Safety and Standards Rules 2011 prescribes that a person shall not be qualified for appointment as Food Analyst under the Act unless she/he holds a Master's degree in Chemistry of Biochemistry or Microbiology or Dairy Chemistry in Food Technology, Food and Nutrition or holds Bachelor of Technology in Dairy/Oil or holds degree in Veterinary Sciences from a university established in India by law or is an associate of the institution of Chemists (India) by examination in the section of Food Analysts conducted by the Institution of Chemists (India) or any other equivalent qualification recognized and modified by the central government for such purposes and has not less than three years experience in the analysis of food; and has been declared qualified for appointment as a Food Analyst by a board appointed and notified by the Authority.
A host of persons having various qualifications in science, medicine, agriculture, biotechnology and even Associate of the Institution of Chemists are qualified for the above post, but unfortunately the qualification, Bachelor of Pharmacy has not found a place in it, said Kaushik Desai, general secretary of IPA.
Also on going through the nature of jobs as prescribed for both the posts in the Rule, it is noted that B Pharm qualified persons are the best suited for these posts due to the subjects in the curriculum of their four-year education, by which they develop adequate specialized skills to perform the nature of jobs as specified for both the posts. It may be noted that in the B Pharm curriculum, there are so many related subjects i.e. pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical technology, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmaceutical analysis, instrumental analysis, pharmaceutical engineering, pharmacology and toxicology and many more, which cover the total aspects of the specified jobs for these two posts. Also the processing of manufacture of food items, their packaging and analysis are more or less similar to drugs & pharmaceuticals, he said.
Hence pharmacy graduates should be allowed to apply for the said posts by introducing amendment to Food Safety and Standards Rules 2011, he concluded.
The IPA also sent the letter to secretary, department of health & family welfare, government of India, UPSC chairman, Dr G. N. Singh, member secretary- DTAB, drugs controller general of India.
It had made several representations over the last three years but has not received any response till date.