The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), the statutory body formed to regulate the pharmacy education and practices in the country, has recently issued a notification to all the institutions and universities conducting Pharm D course regarding the evaluation of remedial mathematics and biology. The council has also clarified that it will allow the students to carry forward the subjects of remedial mathematics/biology to the next year.

In a meeting held in April this year the council decided that with the prior approval of the concerned Examining Authority, the institution can evaluate subjects of remedial mathematics/biology either at its own level or the evaluation be conduced by the examining authority as prescribed under Pharm D regulations, 2008. Remedial mathematics/biology is a first year subject in Pharm D course.

Another decision taken by the council was regarding carry forward of either of these subjects to the next year. It has been notified that from now on any one of the two subjects i.e. either remedial mathematics or biology can be carried forward to second year Pharm D as an additional failed subject along with two failed subjects of first year under regulation 15 of the Pharm D Regulations, 2008 subject to the condition that failure in more than two subjects shall debar the candidate from promotion to next year class ie the third year. This changes will be applicable to all Pharm D batches admitted from 2008-2009 academic session.

The PCI, constituted under section three of the Act, is entitled to prescribe minimum standard of education and to approve courses of study and examinations for the purpose of qualifying for registration as a pharmacist under section 10 and 12 of the Act. At the present, the eligible qualifications include D Pharm, B Pharm and Pharm D along with Pharm D (Post Baccalaureate) from approved pharmacy institutions.