The pharmacy education in general and especially in Karanataka state is going through a tumultuous phase. On one side, the projections and growth prospects of the pharmaceutical profession are very bright and on the other side, the admissions have drastically come down because of various factors.

Diploma in Pharmacy
Diploma in Pharmacy (D. Pharm), which is the minimum qualification required for the practice of the profession, used to be a 2 years’ course after 10th standard / SSLC. Based on this only, several pharmacy institutions were established and grew to the status of UG and PG level institutions and have been centres of imparting excellent education. This platform was also useful for students coming from poorer sections of the society who could not afford higher education. It gave an early start in life to so many. This course has helped so many families to earn their livelihood and also to help several other families by ensuring the availability of medicines. The qualified diploma holders have been rendering very useful service as community pharmacists in remote areas. No matter what level of medical expertise is available; it is very essential that medicines be available for effective treatment. This aspect is what is required today, to suit the local conditions of our country.

A rethink on eligibility for admission
When the eligibility for admission to both D. Pharm  and B. Pharm courses was made as 10+2 with difference in percentage of marks scored, the decline in admissions for D. Pharm course started and has resulted in the closure of so many D. Pharm  institutions. This has dealt a severe blow to all the stakeholders.

The standard of education in general has increased and the students at the 10th standard level are quite knowledgeable and more equipped with scientific background than what it is used to be earlier.

For the specific conditions that prevail in our county, this particular class of medical staff are very essential. In the name of providing higher quality service by B. Pharm  graduates, we are now in a state where we are providing no service at all!  This particular situation will have grave consequences.

Severe shortage of D. Pharms
The expectation that B. Pharm. graduates would be employed in chemist and druggist stores / pharmacies, has come to naught. A  B. Pharm. graduate, who puts in 4 years of college education is mentally not prepared to take-up the position of a D. Pharm qualified person. The course content itself prepares a B. Pharm  graduate for employment in a pharmaceutical industry in any of its core sectors like quality control, manufacturing, packaging, marketing and so on.

Today, there is a severe dearth of D. Pharm qualified professionals, even in a city like Bangalore. Imagine the fate in rural areas. Most of the D. Pharm qualified people surrender their certificates for a regular monthly payment to be used by chemists and druggists stores. This practice has to be curbed and the authorities should insist on physical presence and supervision of qualified pharmacists in chemists and druggists stores.

The quintessential
The majority of our population is rural. In spite of globalization and technological advancement the economic condition of our rural population is deplorable. Technology can definitely be made use of for diagnosis, as it is being advocated in telemedicine. However, the requirement/availability of medicines in emergencies cannot be substituted. Hence, what becomes essential is opening up of pharmacies in rural areas. To realize this  a D. Pharm qualified person is the right option. Because, these students are technically qualified and are usually from such a background that they do not hesitate to work in rural areas.

For Ayush (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy), there is a need for upgrading the manufacturing processes and maintenance of high standards in manufacturing, transport, storage and distribution. This is because of the popularity as well as more and more acceptability by countries outside India.
A Diploma in Pharmacy qualified student can certainly take-up the supervision of manufacturing processes and maintenance of good manufacturing practices (GMP) in these small scale industries. Also, there is a growing demand for D. Pharm qualified people to work on the floor of several manufacturing units which have decided to do away with the practice of employment of labourers without any technical qualification.

Revert to earlier position
Hence, considering all these aspects, it is essential to revert to the earlier situation wherein D. Pharm course was a two years' course after 10th standard. As, I have been able to gather information, the course content is of a good standard and the same can be updated taking in to consideration the actual duties and responsibilities of D. Pharm qualified pharmacists. The standard and the level of learning is much higher at the 10th standard when compared to earlier days. So, this takes care of the higher standard that was sought for students taking admission to D. Pharm course.

Hence, I urge for the reinstatement of the earlier eligibility of a pass in 10th Std /SSLC / Metriculation for admission to two years’ D. Pharm course.

The necessary legislation and other processes have to be taken-up in the right earnest; in the interest of the health of the nation and the pharmacy profession.