The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has included a non thesis as optional to research project for M Pharm students in second year. The new M Pharm syllabus will be more of practical oriented rather than theory and the students will have an option to work with the industry and get a practical experience along with the stipend.

The new syllabus is all set and will appear on the PCI website since November 17, 2016. The council has assured that the new syllabus will benefit the students as well as the industry.

Dr B Suresh, president of PCI says, "The new syllabus of M Pharm is a new approach to postgraduate education. The two-year course will include a theory based education, in the first year and in the second year we have included non thesis as an option to research project. so the student can opt either for a non thesis or research project for one year. The benefit of non thesis is that the student will get a real practical experience during their course duration itself and the industry can also utilise the human resources and get the best of it."

The PCI will also have a tie-up with the industry for the recruitment of the M Pharm students in the coming days. Along with DCGI, the council is planning a meeting with the industry associations regarding the non thesis option included in the M Pharm syllabus. It will also request the industry to provide stipends to the students so that they are not exploited and later on if the companies want they can also recruit them.

“We have made a committee which will be working on the tie-ups with the industry. We will be meeting the industry associations like IDMA, IPA, CIPI etc. in the month of January or February”, said Dr Suresh.