The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has cautioned the B Pharm graduates, intending to pursue M Pharm course, about the lack of qualified faculty and other necessary infrastructure in several pharmacy colleges in the country. The PCI has asked the students to ensure that they join such colleges which have all the necessary infrastructure facilities as per the standards set by the PCI.

Bringing to the notice of the students the fact that several universities and institutions in different parts of the country are offering PG programmes in Pharmacy (M Pharm) without having necessary infrastructure and qualified faculty, the PCI expressed concern that the pass-outs from such universities and institutions are appointed as teaching faculty in pharmacy institutions to teach D Pharm, B Pharm and even M Pharm and Pharm D students.

Appendix B of the Education Regulations 1991 and Pharm D Regulations 2008 framed under section 10 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 provide for appointment of teaching staff with recognized qualification and experience for the purposes of teaching the students enrolled to pharmacy programmes by the institutions desiring approval under section 12 of the Pharmacy Act. But, several institutions do not comply these primary rules.

It was in this backdrop that the PCI, in its efforts to improve the quality of pharmacy education in the country, had some time back embarked upon a surprise inspection on pharmacy colleges in different parts of the country. In the surprise inspections, it was found that several pharmacy colleges are running without qualified faculty and other necessary infrastructure facilities set by the PCI.

Expressing concern over the issue, PCI chairman Dr B Suresh said that to avoid dilution of educational standards, the Council has resolved that in all institutions which are approved by the PCI u/s 12 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948, appointment of teaching faculty shall be done only with graduates and postgraduates in pharmacy who have qualified from the institutions approved under section 12 of Pharmacy Act 1948. The PCI will not tolerate any violations in this matter, he said and added that the Council wanted to bring it to the attention of B Pharm graduates to be aware of the above decision of the council while making their decision to pursue M Pharm programmes.

Dr Suresh also said that the institutions have also been advised to appoint teaching faculty only with graduate and Post-graduate qualifications in pharmacy who have qualified from the PCI approved institutions for consideration of approval under section 12 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948.