In order to strengthen the networking activities with state pharmacy councils (SPCs) and academic institutions, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) will soon implement high tech facilities in its central office in New Delhi.

This will help the central council to become more operational friendly with the SPCs, institutions and the State Registration Tribunals, and can collect all documents from the state councils through online. Preparations are now on for adopting modern software to have the online presence in all the state council offices. All files in the office will be digitized.

The technical support of the project is provided by the New Delhi based National Informatics Centre (NIC). PCI has already signed a MoU with NIC for implementation, sources from the PCI informed. Along with this, a new e-portal will also be launched for public information.

According to sources, the work of digitization of documents will be completed in December last and online function will start from 2018 onwards.

Once the project is launched, the pharmacy colleges can directly forward the details of students admitted and of the passed out to the central pharmacy council immediately on each time of the process. Similarly, the state pharmacy councils can also send registration details to the central council by online.

With this, the central council will communicate with academic institutions and state pharmacy councils through online including video-conferencing network. Sources in the PCI feel that ideas and suggestions of academic experts can be made for online discussion through the network. Main activity of the PCI is to regulate the profession and practice of pharmacy in the country, for which high tech networking facilities with state pharmacy councils and institutions will help to a larger extent.