Recently there were some attempts by Arts colleges in Tamil Nadu to start MSc in Pharmaceutical chemistry and were waiting for University affiliation. Little earlier Anna University, Chennai announced that they are going to start B.Tech course in Pharmaceutical Technology from this academic year. Similar courses are being started elsewhere in India now and then.
One need not emphasize the danger of allowing such a trend, which will result in starting of similar courses by hundreds of Arts colleges in future and leading ultimately to the dilution of profession and also to the closure of pharmacy colleges. These are all, clearly cases of encouragement in the profession of pharmacy and to be fought tooth and nail. For example take the case of MSc Pharmaceutical chemistry.
Pharmaceutical chemistry is not a subject to be mastered in a short period of two-year postgraduate course. It requires four years of undergraduate level study and then two years of post graduation. The B Pharm students throughout India are undergoing such a course -- writing fourteen papers in the said subject alone including practicals in 4 years - and specializing it after four years study. Without such a foundation, a Master degree pushed from above, will neither do justice to the subject nor to the pharmacy students. It will spoil their future as well as the society by the half-cooked pseudo professionals coming out of these colleges.
This apart, Pharmaceutical chemistry is not an isolated subject. It needs to be studied from the fundamental level along with other related subjects. As a postgraduate in Pharmaceutical chemistry opts for job in pharmaceutical industry, which is a health-related industry, knowledge in human anatomy, physiology and pharmacology are essential, without which a raw graduate in chemistry cannot do justice to his job in pharma industry.
Using the physical and chemical properties of drugs and depending on it, formulations like Tablets, Capsules, Injections and Liquids are made. To analyse them in the pharma industry where these graduates will attempt to secure a job, the candidates need to have some basic understanding of formulation techniques. Hence the need for basic knowledge in Pharmaceutics is evident.
Similarly even for the sake of argument, if we accept that they are going for job in bulk drug production industries, not in formulation units, then too a through knowledge of principles, operation and maintenance of machines used there must be required, which is dealt with, in the said subject Pharmaceutics. Without such a study - both the theory and practical - superimposing a master degree is unthinkable.
Thus, MSc Pharmaceutical Chemistry course is a misconceived idea and will create havoc in the industry and academic side.
Needless to point out, to man the pharmaceutical industry, incorporating all the above requirements, pharmacy degree and postgraduate courses are conducted - not in 1 or 10 colleges in India, but in about 300 colleges and the students undergoing such a course are more than a lakh in number. Hence where is the need for M.Sc Pharmaceutical Chemistry course in Arts colleges? Why there should be duplication?
Job-oriented courses are the need of the hour, we agree, but when there is already one with numerous branches, well established over a century, why do people want to create confusion? Will an MSc course in Medicine or Surgery acceptable to these people? Without a MBBS or under graduation, a post graduation in those subjects is not permitted because it is a professional course. It needs to be specialized from bottom. Pharmacy-related subjects are also the same like medicine and other subjects. Will the Arts colleges and University concern permit a B.A Economics graduate to do M.Com just because he has little knowledge in accountancy etc?
To regulate and safeguard the interest of the profession, as well as to prevent the encouragement into the profession only, there are councils like Pharmacy Council of India, Medical Council of India and Nursing Council of India. Thus Pharmacy council of India is constituted as per the act of Parliament of India, to control pharmacy education. They regulate the pharmacy related courses. Without their knowledge and approval, starting a course for pharmacy field, is against the spirit of the said act. Thus the present situation points to the need of a vigilant PCI.
What the AICTE has to say in this matter is also not clear. But one thing is very clear, if the pharmacists are sleeping, as of today, their profession will not be there, when they wake up!
-- The author is president, IPGA, Madurai