Karnataka State Registered Pharmacists Association (KSRPA)is  insisting that the D Pharm needs to be restructured as 10+5 years  which is after SSLC +5 study course. The streamlining of the course pattern would become more effective for the candidates who would be able to get the required knowledge and experience in the field.

With the pharmaceutical industry on an aggressive growth path, there is need to reorganize the education system in the diploma  space, Ashokswamy Heroor, president, Karnataka State Registered Pharmacists Association (KSRPA) told Pharmabiz.

The Association has now urged the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to restructure the diploma course as a 10+5 year one. The requirements of 500 hours training may also be included as part of the 3 years study. The 500 hours could also be increased to 1000 hours which could cover dispensing and cosmetics manufacturing activities, he added.

“Alternatively, we suggest that the D Pharm could also be restructured as a 10+2+3 (SSLC+PUC+3) year study pattern. The compulsory training period may be embedded in the third year study,” stated Heroor.

New subjects like blood banking techniques, drug interaction reporting, clinical trial techniques, de-addiction procedures, computer basics, regulatory affairs, defending procedures in courts, consumer protection laws and provisions of the Right to Information Act, Weights and Measures Act, Packaged Commodities Act, need to be added on. Such topics would add much relevance to the current industry scene and prepare the candidate with the theoretical know-how which can be applied on the job, he said.

There is also a need to include the subject of Drug Price Control Order in the third year of the course. “It would help the candidate to not only upgrade the knowledge, get better job opportunities, but also help in handling the drug related offences like sale of spurious drugs, stated the president, KSRPA.

By adopting the 10+5 years system or the 10+2+3 years, the pharmacy colleges will also benefit in many ways. There is no doubt that the reoriented system will result in increasing the quality of pharmacy education and will give a fillip to the profession. Hence in the interest of all registered pharmacists, the KSRPA has urged the PCI to restructure the diploma study in pharmacy, stated Heroor in his representation.

According to Heroor, the decision to revamp the D Pharm comes in after the New Education Regulation 91 issued by the PCI said that diploma in Pharmacy comprises of two years of class room study after pre university course followed by the practical session of 500 hours spread over not less than  three months. “Under this D Pharm holder would have 10+2+2+1/2 years of study. The length of the course is viewed to disadvantageous for the candidates.”

The key detriments would be that the D Pharm with this syllabus  would come in the way of promotions for those in government service as they would be recruited as junior pharmacists and would have to retire in the same post. They are denied promotions to the senior pharmacists levels on the ground that these candidates do not have 15 years of formal schooling.

Another factor against the course is that candidates are not eligible to register as voters under the Graduate’s consistency for the same.

Despite the hue and cry to alter the pattern of D Pharm course as 10+4 after SSLC, the PCI had vetoed down the proposal. Now KSRPA has taken on the onus to recommend restructured as 10+5 years which is after SSLC +5, said Heroor.