The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), constituted by the central government to regulate the profession and practice of pharmacy in the country , is taking a number of initiatives to stop students from getting enrolled in  illegal programmes.

In the recent times, several pharmacy institutions in the country have started offering different pharma courses which have no approval from the PCI. To save the students from the trap of the educational institutes which very often take the students for a ride by announcing courses without due permission of the concerned authorities, the PCI periodically cautions the pharmacy students against the illegal courses being introduced by the fraudulent educational institutions whose sole aim is to mint money.

The pharmacy education in the country is regulated by the PCI and it ensures uniform implementation of the educational standards throughout the country by approving the courses of study and examination for qualifying for registration as a pharmacist. The PCI is also responsible for approving the Examining Authorities for conducting pharmacy examination for qualifying for registration as a pharmacist; and also withdrawing approval, if the course of study does not continue to be in conformity with the educational standards prescribed by the PCI.

Recently PCI has cautioned the aspiring pharma students that the weekend M. Pharm programme announced by Annamalai University is not approved by the PCI. The PCI announced that the “Weekend M. Pharm programme announced by Annamalai University is not approved by PCI for: entry of additional qualification u/s 35 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948; and the purpose of teaching pharmacy subjects under the Pharmacy Act, 1948 and regulations framed thereunder”.

This is not the first time the PCI has warned the students against joining the courses not approved by the PCI. The PCI  has cautioned the aspiring pharma students that the B Pharm course being conducted by Lucknow Institute of Pharmacy is not recognised by the PCI.

“B Pharm course conducted by Lucknow Institute of Pharmacy, Chanda Sarai, Near Gosaiganj, Lucknow (UP), is not approved by the Pharmacy Council of India u/s 12 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 for the purpose of registration as a pharmacist,” the PCI cautioned  gullible students.

Recently, the PCI had cautioned the aspiring pharma students that the 2-year D. Pharm course on experience basis being conducted by Board of Technical Education, Delhi, 77, Vipin Garden, New Delhi, 110059 is not approved by the PCI u/s 12 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 for the purpose of registration as a pharmacist. Before that, the PCI had also clarified to the aspiring students that it will not approve the 5-½ year integrated course in Pharmacy being introduced by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

In April this year, the PCI had cautioned the aspiring pharma students that the two-year non-attending Diploma in Pharmacy course being advertised by the Noble Group of Institutes, Haryana was not approved by the PCI.

Recently PCI cautioned the aspiring pharma students that the 2-year D Pharm course announced by the Board of Technical Education, Delhi is not approved by the PCI.

In order to save the students from the trap of the educational institutes which very often take the students for a ride by announcing courses without due permission of the concerned authorities, the PCI announced that the “2-year D Pharm course on experience basis conducted by Board of Technical Education, Delhi, 77, Vipin Garden, New Delhi, 110059 is not approved by the PCI u/s 12 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 for the purpose of registration as a pharmacist”.

The PCI had framed Education Regulations, 1991 (ER-91) for Diploma course in Pharmacy. As per Regulation 6 of the ER-91, duration of D. Pharm course is a regular 2 academic years course in addition to 500 hours practical training spread over a period of not less than three months.

However, this is not the first time the PCI has warned the students against joining the courses not approved by the PCI. In July last year, the PCI had announced such warning against the six months diploma course started by the Kolkata-based Academy of Pharmacy Management & Guidance (APMG).  The APMG in association with All India Chemists & Distributors Federation had started this diploma course as a major initiative towards upgradation of unqualified pharmacy workers (D category pharmacists) in drug stores across West Bengal.

In April this year, the PCI had cautioned the aspiring pharma students that the two-year non-attending Diploma in Pharmacy course being advertised by the Noble Group of Institutes, Haryana was not approved by the PCI.

Earlier in July last year, the PCI had announced that the six month diploma course started by the Kolkata-based Academy of Pharmacy Management & Guidance (APMG) in association with All India Chemists & Distributors Federation (AICDF) was also not recognised by the PCI.

The PCI has also written to various union ministries, state governments and UPSC to incorporate Pharm D as a qualification for various posts like pharmacists, teachers, drug regulators, etc. in their recruitment rules.

PCI president Dr B Suresh said that in addition to this, the Council has approached DCGI, MCI, CDL and CDRI with the same request. He was responding to certain allegations made by the president of the Kerala State Pharmacy Council (KSPC) that PCI is not initiating any step to amend the Pharmacy Act for the sake of Pharm D course. Pharm D professional's job has not been defined in the Act so far.

Dr Suresh said that Pharm D is an approved qualification for teaching, hence the Council has written to all institutions in India that Pharm D degrees from a PCI approved institution shall be eligible for teaching posts at appropriate levels in pharmacy institutions. He added that several institutions had already appointed Pharm D graduates as their faculty members.

In January last year, and again in March this year the Council has written to all the state governments for grant of study leave for B Pharm holders and to in-service diploma pharmacists to undergo Pharm D (Post Baccalaureate) course, he said. Further, to provide education loan the PCI in June 2010 approached the Reserve Bank of India to include pharmacy as one of the professional qualifications for the purpose of education loan to students intending to study pharmacy course.

PCI has held several meetings with managements and principals of Pharm D institutions for effective implementation of Pharm D regulations so as to create the competent manpower. Besides, the Council has conducted workshops on career opportunities for Pharm D graduates wherein prospective employers from pharmaceutical industry, contract research organizations, hospitals, academic institutions, health insurance companies etc. offered jobs to these graduates, Dr Suresh claimed.

The PCI has  recently launched its online service for pharmacy institutions across the country. The main objective of this service is to submit the student details online by using a secured login.

PCI has already shared the secured login with all the approved pharmacy institutions across the country. All the institutions approved by the PCI under section 12 conducting B. Pharm, M. Pharm, Pharm. D and Pharm. D (Post Bacceleaurate) courses should provide student details on PCI website immediately by September 15, 2012.

Professor Divakar Goli, principal of Acharya and B M Reddy College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru said, “Many times a student is taking admission simultaneously in two colleges at the same time. Through this online service, duplication of students can be avoided. If colleges and institutions provide all student details to PCI, it will be easy for the PCI to investigate about the duplication of students and take action against them.”

Prof. Goli further added that the initiative undertaken by PCI, which regulates the profession and practice of pharmacy in the country, will be a boon for all the institutions as the duplication of students can be avoided.

He further informed, “Earlier PCI has started various online services for faculty, inspectors and state pharmacy councils which assures that information provided to the PCI is efficient and helpful to take action against false data.”

PCI has said that with the launching of online service all the institutions have to submit the required details in the prescribed format. The format is shared on the PCI website and stressed that all the PCI approved pharmacy institutions should update each and every student information as and when any changes take place.

All the PCI approved pharmacy institutions should update student information from time to time. While accessing this online facility or for any issues, pharmacy institutions can reach the PCI's technical support team through support.pcinet. in@gmail.com.

Recently, the PCI had also clarified to the aspiring students that it will not approve the 5-½ year integrated course in Pharmacy being introduced by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Cautioning the pharmacy colleges in the country against starting 5-½ year integrated pharmacy course announced by the AICTE recently, PCI said that it will approve only three courses for the purpose of registration as a pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. They are D. Pharm (2 years & 500 hours practical training course), B. Pharm (4 years course) and Pharm. D (6 years course).