The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has warned the pharmacy colleges and other pharmacy institutions in the country against changing the duration of the Diploma in Pharmacy (D Pharm) from 2 years to 4 years and the minimum qualification for admission from 12th to 10th standard as was notified by the AICTE recently.

“Any deviation from the above statutory provisions with regard to admission qualification and duration of the D Pharm course will be in dis-regard to the provisions of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 and regulations framed thereunder and the passed out students will not be eligible for registration as a pharmacist to practice the profession under the Pharmacy Act, 1948 and that the entire consequences thereof shall rest on the institution’s risk & cost”, PCI warned the pharmacy institutions.

The PCI in its warning notice, addressed to all state governments, examining authorities (for D Pharm course) and D Pharm institutions, stated that the pharmacy education and practice of pharmacy profession in the country is regulated under the provisions of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 and the Regulations made thereunder by the PCI by way of prescribing minimum standard of education required for qualification as a pharmacist and framing of Education Regulations prescribing the conditions to be fulfilled by the institutions seeking approval of the PCI for imparting education in pharmacy for student pharmacist.

The PCI also stated that the pharmacy education in the country is regulated by it by ensuring uniform implementation of the educational standards throughout the country and by approving the courses of study and examination for qualifying for registration as a pharmacist i.e. approval of the academic training pharmacy institutions providing pharmacy courses. It is also responsible for approving the Examining Authorities conducting pharmacy examination for qualifying for registration as a pharmacist; and also withdrawing approval, if the course of study does not continue to be in conformity with the educational standards prescribed by the PCI.

Accordingly, the PCI has framed Education Regulations, 1991 (ER-91) for Diploma course in Pharmacy. Regulation 5 of the ER-91 prescribes the minimum qualification for admission to diploma in pharmacy, which reads: A pass in any of the following examinations with Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Mathematics; Intermediate examination in Science; The first year of the three year degree course in Science; 10+2 examination (academic stream) in Science; Pre–degree examination; and Any other qualification approved by the Pharmacy Council of India as equivalent to any of the above examination.

As per Regulation 6 of the ER-91, duration of D. Pharm course is a regular 2 academic years course in addition to 500 hours practical training spread over a period of not less than 3 months.

In view of the above, it is advised to strictly follow the prescribed provisions of ER-91 with regard to admission qualification and duration of the D. Pharm course to enable the passed out students to register as pharmacist to practice the profession under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, the PCI has warned.