KSRPO urges abolition of D.Pharm certificate board

The Karnataka State Registered Pharmacists Organisation (KSRPO) is urging concerned authorities in different ministries to abolish the Board of Examining Authority (BEA) that gives diploma certificates for two years D. Pharm course. The BEA is set up by the State Drugs Control Department.

KSRPO’s letter to PM Modi; Ramesh Pokhriyal, Education Minister and Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, Education Minister of State, highlighted that according to NEP 2020 by the government of India, a student of a four-year degree, (for example;  B Pharma degree student) can exit after the second year of study with a diploma certificate. The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has clarified that the Education Regulations 2020, (ER2020) issued under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, for diploma in pharmacy certificate has been designed to follow this NEP policy of multiple entry and exit options for students. After enrolling in the programme, a student can exit the course after two years or continue full term. A Pharmacy student will get a D. Pharm certificate after two years or a B. Pharm degree after four years of the programme.

Ashokswamy Heroor, President, Karnataka State Registered Pharmacists Association commented, “We hope that the new Education Policy-2020 also applies to the diploma in Pharmacy Course, as applied to other diploma/degree courses. A Pharmacy student will get D. Pharm certificate after two years or B. Pharm degree, after four years. However, the diploma in pharmacy is being awarded by a Board of Examining Authority, (BEA), which is set up by the state drugs control department. Whereas, the B. Pharm degree is awarded by University. So, there is no connection or coordination between these two separate authorities. And because of dual control, there is bound to be chaos in pharmacy education.”

“We suggest that both diploma and degree in pharmacy should be awarded by one authority, viz, the university. The BEA run by the state government, which was hitherto awarding D. Pharm, should be abolished. And this will not only remove the confusion but also save to the state exchequer,” he said.

Dr Mayur Yergeri, Professor, SVKMs NMIMS stressed, “There is an urgent need to introduce exit exams for diploma and degree in Pharmacy to bring in the uniformity of Pharmacy course across the country and also check the quality of students coming out from these different pharmacy schools. A country like the Philippines has done this more than three decades ago. India should introduce this exit exam at the earliest and the same can be done by the National Testing Agency which is conducting many national exams in the country.”

However, some experts are of the opinion that the D Pharma course itself should be abolished.

Dr B R Jagashetty, former National Advisor (Drugs Control) to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare expressed, “I personally feel that it is high time to abolish D.Pharm and make B Pharm as a minimum requirement. Unless the diploma is abolished, degree holders may not get proper recognition, both in Government and private sectors.”

Yergeri also said, “The Government has to seriously think of closing the Diploma Pharmacy course which is not producing quality pharmacists. Otherwise, the diploma holders should work as technicians under graduate pharmacists. When countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan could do it more than two decades ago, why not India. Therefore, we need a strong government decision.”