Even as the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is looking to unveil the new two-year course ‘B Pharmacy Practice’ to upgrade the minimum qualification of diploma holders from D Pharm to B Pharm course, pharmacy colleges are of the view that there is need for more clarity on this.
B Pharmacy Practice is designed to be conducted only during weekends because this course is for the existing D Pharm holders who could be already employed. The training would cover theory and practicals which would include projects work and seminar presentations. Now PCI intends to introduce this only to raise the pharmacy qualification of diploma holders to degree in order to match the standards prevailing practice in the developed world. This is the first time in the country that such an offering is coming into education landscape, Prof. S Mohan, Dean, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and director, PES College of Pharmacy told Pharmabiz.
This particular initiative of the PCI needs approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC). Representing PES College of Pharmacy, Prof. Mohan has now requested the Registrar of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences to obtain concurrence from the UGC on whether a degree can be awarded for a two-year course which is conducted only during weekends.
“If PCI wants to elevate the status of diploma in Pharmacy to a degree course with the introduction of B Pharmacy Practice, then it should discontinue D Pharm. Since, B Pharmacy Practice is targeting only the D Pharm holders, where is the need to continue D Pharm in the colleges,” queried Prof. Mohan.
In case PCI is keen to retain D Pharm, then it would need to revert to the earlier eligibility of 10th standard pass from the current entitled qualification of entry which is pre university. Such a move would attract scores of economically backward students who could get an early start to earn by being employed at pharmacy outlets in Tier 3 and 4 towns and villages. More importantly, medicines will be available in the far flung rural areas. It will also complement government’s move of mandatory rural posting for the MBBS doctors, pointed out Prof. Mohan.
B Pharmacy Practice is designed to be conducted only during weekends because this course is for the existing D Pharm holders who could be already employed. The training would cover theory and practicals which would include projects work and seminar presentations. Now PCI intends to introduce this only to raise the pharmacy qualification of diploma holders to degree in order to match the standards prevailing practice in the developed world. This is the first time in the country that such an offering is coming into education landscape, Prof. S Mohan, Dean, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and director, PES College of Pharmacy told Pharmabiz.
This particular initiative of the PCI needs approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC). Representing PES College of Pharmacy, Prof. Mohan has now requested the Registrar of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences to obtain concurrence from the UGC on whether a degree can be awarded for a two-year course which is conducted only during weekends.
“If PCI wants to elevate the status of diploma in Pharmacy to a degree course with the introduction of B Pharmacy Practice, then it should discontinue D Pharm. Since, B Pharmacy Practice is targeting only the D Pharm holders, where is the need to continue D Pharm in the colleges,” queried Prof. Mohan.
In case PCI is keen to retain D Pharm, then it would need to revert to the earlier eligibility of 10th standard pass from the current entitled qualification of entry which is pre university. Such a move would attract scores of economically backward students who could get an early start to earn by being employed at pharmacy outlets in Tier 3 and 4 towns and villages. More importantly, medicines will be available in the far flung rural areas. It will also complement government’s move of mandatory rural posting for the MBBS doctors, pointed out Prof. Mohan.
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