PCI Releases ER 2020, D Pharm Course To Continue As Basic Qualification For Pharmacist Post

Chennai, 20 Oct 2020: 

In a major relief to the students pursuing D Pharm course, pharmacists with diploma qualification and to institutions running the diploma course, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has released the ‘Education Regulations 2020’ for diploma course in pharmacy.

With the release of the ER 2020, PCI has withdrawn the current ER 1991. However, the council has clarified that the approvals granted on the basis of ER 1991 for 2020-21 academic year admissions will continue for this year. The ER 2020 will be applicable for admissions in the 2021-22 academic term.

The notification of the new ER ascertains one thing that the PCI has no plan to scrub out or stop D Pharm course in the near future, but it will continue as the basic qualification for pharmacist post in India. The ER 2020 that came into force on October 9 this year declares that “the minimum qualification required for registration as a pharmacist shall be a pass in Diploma in Pharmacy”.

Unlike in other countries where a degree in pharmacy is the minimum qualification for pharmacy practice, in India D Pharm has the status of basic qualification for registration as a pharmacist. PCI has now retained that status for some more years as it has not specified a time limit for the course it can continue. This regulation comes out at a time when the academic experts regularly want the national pharmacy education regulator to raise the minimum qualification to degree from the present diploma level in order to strengthen the quality of pharmacy practice and the status of the pharmacists in India.
 
The ER 91 that existed till now was framed in 1987, but notified in 1991 and was implemented from 1992 onwards. During 1990s, when there were discussions among academic experts about making degree (B Pharm) to be made the minimum qualification for registration to become a pharmacist, PCI had formed a sub-committee which framed one education regulation (ER 2001) in the year 2000 that mandated degree as the basic educational qualification for a pharmacist. But the ER was not circulated among the public for discussion and suggestions and was put into cold storage. Still that ER has not come to the light, although a cross section of the academic community urges for it.

The ER 2020 does not illustrate the details of the syllabus, but it carries a profile of the course-content and a skeleton of the syllabus. So in future, without notifying further in the official gazette, PCI can release the syllabus. The attempt of the PCI has been praised by the academic community.

Commenting on the release of the new ER, Dr B Suresh, president of the PCI said, ‘this scheme is applicable for admissions and approvals from the year 2021-22 and the detailed syllabus will be issued by the PCI in due course of time. This will provide necessary time for institutions and faculty to prepare themselves accordingly. The council will also hold nationwide workshops on the understanding of the regulations, syllabus and the scheme”.

The PCI’s decision to retain D Pharm course gives relief to as many as 2000 pharmacy colleges across the country. The teachers working in the institutions can enjoy every minute without any concern about their future. Pharmabiz