The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is learnt to have backtracked from its decision to give permission to increase the number of student intake in the pharmacy colleges from the existing 60 to 90 students for B Pharm course as there was no demand from other states except Andhra Pradesh to increase the number of seats. The AICTE late last year had taken the in-principle decision to allow the colleges to increase the student intake for B Pharm course.

According to sources, the AICTE has put on hold, at least for the time being, its decision to allow the private pharmacy colleges in the country to increase the B Pharm student intake from 60 to 90 students. Apart from the private pharmacy colleges in Andhra Pradesh, no other colleges in any other state in the country have demanded to the AICTE to increase the number of seats. Even though the AICTE's chairman for Board of Pharma Education was in favour of allowing these colleges to increase the seats to make full use of the available infrastructure with these colleges, the lack of demand from other states in this regard has forced the AICTE to put on hold its decision, sources said.

The increase in student intake has been a long pending demand of the private pharmacy colleges in Andhra Pradesh for the effective utilisation of available resources. The Andhra Pradesh Private Pharmacy Colleges Management Association (APPPCMA) had taken up the issue with the AICTE in this regard. Since most of these colleges already have a well established infrastructure including a well qualified Principal they will be in an advantageous position to impart quality education to the students.

The APPPCMA was of the view that the number of B Pharm pharmacy colleges in the country has increased considerably during the last few years. There are more than 800 pharmacy colleges in the country at present, which was around 300 a couple of years ago. With such an increase in the number of B Pharm colleges, these colleges alone require a large number of faculty with M Pharm degrees. Presently, these colleges are facing acute shortage of competent faculty to provide quality education. Besides, there are shortages of M Pharm students for the pharmacy business also.

The AICTE had taken an in-principle decision last year to permit the private pharmacy colleges in the country to increase the B Pharm student intake from 60 to 90 students from the academic year 2009-10. However, it did not take any final decision on the demand to increase the seats from 10 to 25 for M Pharm course. But, with no other states demanding for an increase, the AICTE may put on hold its decision, sources said.