PCI to release new education regulation to update curriculum of D. Pharm

The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is planning to launch a new education regulation 2011 to update the curriculum of Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm). This program will be implemented from 2012. The council has prepared the syllabus and it will submit the same to the ministry of health and family welfare by the month end for clearance.

The last changes in the sector was made in 1991. PCI president Dr B Suresh said that it is the right time to upgrade the education standards of D.Pharm as the industry is looking for candidates from this specialization. In order to enter the industry, PCI has mandated the need for B.Pharm as the basic qualification.

The current pharmacy education regulation is almost two-decades-old and the practises are out-dated. Here comes the need to upgrade the existing pharmacy's education standards with the inclusion of the latest industrial and hospital pharmacy practices.

In this regard, PCI is looking into devising a competency framework to ensure a quality assurance system, and building academic and institution capacity.

Source: Richha Bhatnagar (Shiksha Team)