DPEE to ensure quality of pharmacists and prevent misuse of DPharm course
As the exam faces a delay, PCI will grant a one-year license to passouts to practice temporarily
Priyadarshini.Gupta@timesofindia.com 06.01.2025
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences recently announced the deferment of the Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination (DPEE) which was scheduled for October 2024. The mandatory exit exam, introduced through the Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022 by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), aims to ensure that Diploma in Pharmacy (DPharm) graduates meet the required educational and practical training standards before registering as pharmacists under the Pharmacy Act, 1948.
Students belonging to the 2022-2023 academic year were the first batch required to take this exam. The first batch raised concerns over the examination fees for three papers and urged to reduce the number of papers to one. The exam will now be tentatively held by February-March 2025. To address the concerns of the students, the PCI has proposed reducing the exam from three papers to one and is awaiting approval from the Union Health Ministry.
Recognizing employment challenges faced by students, the PCI has agreed to grant provisional one-year licenses to the 2022-2023 batch graduates. The licenses will enable the passouts to practice temporarily. It will allow students to enter the job market by applying in state pharmacy councils, and practice in government pharmacy shops temporarily. Despite being introduced in 2022, the exam's implementation has faced delays. Experts say that the exit exam is a positive move and will help curb mushrooming of DPharma colleges, improve the quality of pharmacists in the long run and ensure only competent professionals enter the field.
Montukumar Patel, president, PCI, says, “The introduction of an exit exam for pharmacists is a critical reform and will elevate professional standards. Despite sharing the exam draft regulations in the public domain for feedback, no objections regarding the fee or structure were received at that time. It is only now, the grievances regarding the number of paper and fee have started to come up. Implementation hiccups exist since we are holding the exam for the first time. Once the exam is conducted, the process will become smooth.” License renewal Despite the delay, the PCI will issue one-year provisional licenses to students to help them secure employment. “There is no limit on the number of attempts, the students must clear the exam before their licenses expire to continue practicing. Licenses will not be renewed unless one clears the exam.
The move is also intended to curb the misuse of the course and licenses, where a few individuals used their qualifications merely to open pharmacy shops. The reform ensures that only competent and well-trained individuals enter the profession,” adds Patel. Furthermore, the exam serves as a tool to regulate the growing number of DPharm colleges, ensuring that only institutions meeting quality benchmarks continue to operate. The course is designed for class XII students with a science background, enabling them to complete the two-year program and enter the workforce, he adds. Daksh Bhatia, professor, KIET School of Pharmacy, says, “Earlier, we never had exit examinations. It was only in 2017-18, when the mushrooming of several pharmacy colleges started, that the need for exit exams was felt.” “The focus should also be on strengthening the quality of education in pharmacy colleges. Exit exams will motivate students to study diligently as they will be evaluated by a third party. Usually, most candidates want to enter the job market as soon as possible after completing a two-year course.
The reform is expected to filter out unqualified candidates and discourage misuse of the DPharm qualification for obtaining quick licenses to open pharmacy shops,” adds Prof Bhatia.
