NEW DELHI: The centre has proposed to set up a National Pharmacy Commission (NPC), which will promote and regulate pharmacy education with the aim to improve access to quality and affordable pharmacy education in the country.
The revised draft of the National Pharmacy Commission (NPC) Bill, 2026, which proposes the NPC, and repeals the Pharmacy Act, 1948, also aims to ensure availability of adequate and high quality pharmacy professionals across the country.
The revised draft of the Union Health Ministry, which has sought stakeholder and public comments on the revised draft of the Bill, encourages pharmacy professionals of modern system of medicine, Indian system of medicine and Homoeopathy to adopt latest contemporary pharmaceutical and life sciences research in their work and to contribute to research and technology.
Proposing the structure of the Commission, whose head office will be in New Delhi, the draft states that it will have a Chairperson, 15 ex-officio members and 13 part-time members.
The draft suggests a national register of pharmacy professionals to be maintained by the Pharmacy Ethics and Registration Board.
The Bill proposes that the Commission will have four boards - Pharmacy Assessment and Rating Board; Pharmacy Ethics and Registration Board; Pharmacy education Board for Modern system of medicine; and Pharmacy education Board for Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy.
The draft suggests that the central government will constitute an advisory body to be known as the Pharmacy Advisory Council and the Chairperson of the Commission will be its ex-officio head.
Listing out the qualification of the Chairperson, the draft said that the individual should be a registered pharmacist of outstanding ability, proven administrative capacity and integrity, possessing a basic degree in pharmacy and a postgraduate degree in any discipline of pharmaceutical sciences from any recognized University/institute, with experience of not less than twenty years in the field of pharmacy for modern system of medicine, and out of which at least ten years shall be as a leader in pharmacy field to be appointed by the central government.
The draft clarifies that the Chairperson cannot accept, for a period of two years from the date of demitting such office, any employment, in any capacity including as a consultant or an expert, in any private/government pharmacy institution, whose matter has been dealt with by such Chairperson or Member, either directly or indirectly.
It also states that the central government can remove the Chairperson or any other member, if they have been convicted of an offence which involves moral turpitude; or has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a Member; or of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court; or has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his/ her functions.
The Chairperson and members will not be eligible for any extension of term beyond four years or for reappointment and such person shall cease to hold office after attaining the age of seventy years. They also have to declare their assets at the time of joining the Commission.
The Commission will be tasked with framing policies and regulating standards for the governance of pharmacy education and training; regulating pharmacy institutions, research, and professionals; provide basic standards of education, physical and instructional facilities, assessment, examination, training, research, and continuing professional education and maximum tuition fee payable in respect of various categories.
It will also provide standards for pharmacy faculty and clinical facility in teaching institutions; and will also conduct the National Exit Test (Pharmacy) for granting licence to practice pharmacy as pharmacists and for enrolment.
On National Exit Test, which will be the basis for admission to postgraduate pharmacy education in pharmacy institutions, the draft states that it will become operational five years from the date of commencement of the Act.
Any person with a foreign pharmacy qualification can qualify the Test for the purpose of obtaining licence to practice pharmacy as pharmacists and for enrolment in the state register or the National Register, it states.