Karnataka looks to balance pharmacy education with pharma industry demand to implement ER 2020

Bengaluru, July 14, 2022 :

Karnataka looks to balance pharmacy education growth with pharma industry demand to implement Education Regulation (ER) 2020. In order to realise the creation of industry ready workforce, the state government’s drugs control department and the Board of Examining Authority endorsed that the way forward would be collaboration between pharma companies and pharmacy colleges for the successful implementation of ER 2020.

Experts pointed out that Karnataka accounts for 17,000 to 20,000 diploma in pharmacy candidates passing out annually and chemist outlets cannot be their only career option. This is where the industry training of at least three months is a critical component to mould their professional skills which is a win-win situation for both. It is also equally important for the industry to share the proof of concepts with the academia institutions to allow disruptions in innovation.

The need of the hour is training for D Parma candidates, be it at pharmacy outlets, hospital pharmacy and at the pharma industry. Practical exposure is the key. This is where the Education Regulation 2020 that governs the D Pharma course, replaces the three-decade-old ER- 1991. It decreases theory hours and has increased practical hours to reinstate hand-on exposure which is the way forward to create a pharma talent pool.

Noting that ER 2020 D Pharm syllabus is designed to nurture the students in all the three domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy viz. knowledge, attitude and skills, Karnataka Drugs Controller Bhagoji T Khanapure said pharmacy teachers play an intrinsic role to motivate the learning process in students.

“This new regulation has given due consideration for the fact that, universally the roles of pharmacists undergo continuous evolution from that of ‘dispenser of medicines’ to that of ‘medicine expert’ in the multidisciplinary healthcare team,” he added.

In his presidential address, at the recent symposium on Education Rules 2020 for diploma course in pharmacy implementation programme organised by the Karnataka drugs control department, Karnataka government and Board of Examining Authority, Khanapure said that brainstorming sessions have been organised by BEA to impart knowledge to the students so that it will be a smooth transition and understand about the model question papers for the upcoming examinations pertaining to ER-2020.
 
Calling upon the teachers of D Pharm the Karnataka drugs controller said that there needs to be adequate attention so that it will be a good learning pattern to upgrade the knowledge of the students who need to bring India forward in pharmacy and healthcare.

“A teacher needs to delve deeper into the ER 2020 D Pharm course objectives as such an exercise will enable students understand the various assessment criteria, modalities and parameters of the syllabus. A well-structured assessment plan associated with the course outcomes enables mapping the professional competencies and attainment levels that are attributed to the programme outcomes,” stated drugs controller Khanapure.
 
Harish Jain, president, Karnataka Drugs & Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, and director Embiotic Labs pointed out that practical training for the teaching staff as per ER 2020 is imperative. Further, emphasis on building entrepreneurship and leadership culture is central. While, multidisciplinary approach in research is necessary, skill development too is much needed. Pharmabiz