VIJAYAWADA: Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas has said that the State government will ask the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) not to permit new colleges for Pharm D courses until the existing issues faced by the graduates are addressed. The minister said a six-member committee would be constituted to look into the problems of Pharm D graduates who have been demanding creation of a separate cadre of clinical pharmacists to solve their unemployment woes. Principal Secretary (Medical and Health), Principal Secretary (Technical Education), Vice-Chancellor of NTR University of Health Sciences, Commissioner (Higher Education), Director of Medical Education and Convenor of Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education are the members of the panel.
Srinivas, who interacted with the members of Association for Doctor of Pharmacy (ADP) at his office here on Tuesday, said that the committee would submit its report within 45 days. “The committee with technical experts and department officials will study what other States are doing with regard to the issue and the best practices there. It will make recommendations as to how to provide justice to the students. Until the existing system is streamlined, we will ask the AICTE not to allow any new colleges to start the course,” he explained. He said that he would talk with Human Resource Development Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao on the issue. He, however, clarified that the admissions process would not be stalled as it will hamper future of several aspirants.
The minister said that the course was launched 10 years ago without any planning. Srinivas said the possibility of utilising Pharma D candidates in AP Vaidya Mitra programme is being examined by the court. “If need be, we will also use their services in Jan Aushadhi,” he added.
“About 9,000 doctors who were passed out in four batches are unemployed. Another 10,000-11,000 are pursuing the course. Even after spending `10 lakh on the course, the candidates are not getting any job. The government, which is also spending on us in terms of fee reimbursement, should utilise our services,” said S Lakshmikanth and KV Jagadeesh, president and general secretary of the ADP.
No job after 6-year course
AP has the highest Pharm D colleges in India with 59 of the total 219 institutes
Each college has 30 seats
Every year, close to 1,800 students graduate, but don’t find any jobs
A1,50,000 per year is the fee of the six-year-course
A531 cr
Cost to the State exchequer so far as the government spends J67,500 per candidate per year towards fee reimbursement