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 The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has directed all State Pharmacy Councils (SPCs) to issue registration certificate to the Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm) students, while revoking its previous direction that the certificates should be issued to students passed out of 2022-23 batch till the exit exam is conducted.
The Council said that its previous circular, issued on December 8, asking all SPCs to issue registration certificates to the passed out students of 2022-23 admitted batch till the exit exam conducted as per the prescribed conditions u/s 32(2) of the Pharmacy Act, 1948, "as null and void".
Instead, it has now requested all SPCs "to issue registration certificate to the passed out as per the prescribed conditions u/s 32(2) of the Pharmacy Act, 1948."
According to the Section 32(2) of the Pharmacy Act, 1948, a person shall, on payment of the prescribed fee be entitled to, have his name entered on the register if he has attained the age of 18 years, if he resides, or carries on the business or profession of pharmacy, in the State and if he has passed an approved examination or possesses a qualification approved under Section 14 (or is a registered pharmacist of another State).
It may be noted that the PCI had in the end of December, 2024, issued a circular asking the State Councils to issue registration certificates for one year to those who completed D.Pharm courses in approved institutions in the academic session 2022-23, considering the delay in conducting exit examination for these students.
The PCI also earlier said that it has in various communications sought an amendment in the regulations, to conduct the exam in one paper instead of three papers to avoid financial burden on the students.
While it has requested approval from the Ministry for the proposed amendment in regulation of Diploma in pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022, as per the requirement under the Pharmacy Act, 1948 for publication in the Gazette of India, through various communications, the approval is yet awaited, it said in the end of 2024.
Meanwhile, the Council received a number of requests from D.Pharm students admitted in the 2022-23 academic session and completed their course in 2023-24, seeking registration, since they are unable to get any job or work as they cannot proceed without a registration as pharmacist.
Considering the situation, the Council decided to post a circular communicating all State Pharmacy Councils, State Governments, Union Territories and approved pharmacy institutions conducting D.Pharm course to address the issue, it said in December.
The circular, during the time, requested the State councils and institutions "to issue registration certificate to the students who are admitted in Diploma in Pharma in 2022-23 academic session and complete their course in 2023-24 academic session for one year (till the exit exam will be conducted) and not renew the certificate without clearing the exit exam".
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