VISAKHAPATNAM: Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) and Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) are mulling a proposal to conduct an entrance exam for qualified pharmacy graduates to register themselves with the council and practice pharmacy. Currently, qualified pharmacy graduates have to simply submit their qualification degree to the PCI for registration.
Addressing a symposium ‘Pharmulation-2K15’ at GITAM University here Saturday, IPA education division national chairperson TV Narayana said that the IPA and the PCI are making all efforts to strengthen pharmacy education in the country. The IPA had already formulated strict guidelines to strengthen the BPharmcy, MPharmacy and Pharma D programmes and trying to implement a common syllabus across the country. “The PCI and the IPA are jointly verifying pharmacy colleges and taking stringent steps if they were found violating regulations. We have already initiated action against 50 colleges across the country, including three in Visakhapatnam district,” he added.
Narayana said that the Indian pharmaceutical industry is growing every year and now occupied third position in the world. “The industry is expected to grow up to $100 billion by 2020 when the country would need 10 lakh qualified pharmacists to meet industry demand,” he said. The IPA recently started a training centre at Bangalore for pharmacy graduates.
Divis Laboratories GM P Srinivasa Rao explained the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production in the state and said that students must know the industry needs particularly technology, manufacturing and engineering aspects to grab opportunities.
GITAM University vice-chancellor G Subrahmanyam said that the university was planning to start inter-disciplinary programmes in the near future. GITAM Institute of Pharmacy principal S Ganapathy presided over the function and explained various opportunities in pharma sector. GITAM University pro vice-chancellor D Harinarayana and others participated.