I don't understand why D. Pharma course is being removed as minimum qualification for registration to practice Pharmacy in India.
They say due to corruption. (Propaganda)
But I have seen corruption and malpractices happening at higher education level as well.
1)PhD and PharmD students/interns publishing their names in scientific journals for research articles in which they have not done anything and just paid asked amount to the principal researcher so that their name get added in the research article as co-authors or co-researchers for publishing in scientific journals.
2)illogical sequence of subjects taught at colleges with these newly started courses.
3)Renting of license will continue even on Pharm-D ( doctor of pharmacy) degree.
4)To make minimum qualification for a registered pharmacist to do pharmacy practice in India, Pharm-D degree rather than D.Pharm ie. to replace the state's diploma of pharmacist.
Instead of updating and upgrading the syllabus of D.Pharm, what the policy makers have done is that they have created a new course named Pharm.D/Pharmd(PB) and obvious plan is to make it the minimum qualification for a registered pharmacist to do pharmacy practice in India and produce so called Next Generation and New Age Pharmacist. It's like a RESTART button pressed on.
Why create so much confusion, why malign the integrity of Pharmacy field. They could have retained the D.Pharm course and should have made neccessary changes in the syllabus and duration of D.Pharm, so that the minimum qualification for a registered pharmacist to do pharmacy practice in India remain D.Pharm and no need to replace the state's diploma of pharmacist.
Just imagine if M.B.B.S course is replaced by some other course which is made minimum qualification for a registered physician to do medical practice in India.
And then they call themselves Pharma Expert or Drug Expert (DRX). What a pity situation ?
Is Pharm D and Pharm D(PB) course is approved by UGC?
**Yes, but with an important distinction between who approves the course versus who awards/recognizes the degree.**
### Key Regulatory Framework
* **Primary Approval Body — Pharmacy Council of India (PCI):**
The **Pharm.D** (6-year regular) and **Pharm.D (Post-Baccalaureate)** (3-year program for B.Pharm graduates) are statutory courses introduced and regulated under the **Pharm.D Regulations 2008** by the **Pharmacy Council of India (PCI)**. PCI sets the curriculum, clinical training standards, and institution-approval criteria.
* **Role of the University Grants Commission (UGC):**
UGC recognizes PCI as the official statutory professional council governing pharmacy education in India.
* UGC approves universities (Central, State, Private, or Deemed-to-be Universities) to confer degrees under Section 22 of the UGC Act.
* When a UGC-recognized university offers a Pharm.D / Pharm.D (PB) program through an institution approved by the PCI, the degree is fully valid and recognized by UGC.
### Summary Checklist for Students
Before enrolling in either program, ensure:
1. **PCI Approval:** The specific college or department must have an active approval letter from PCI to run the Pharm.D or Pharm.D (PB) course.
2. **UGC Recognition:** The university granting the final degree certificate must be recognized by UGC.
UGC doesn't approve courses,but it approve universities
That is **partially true**, but with some very important technical distinctions.
Here is how the University Grants Commission (UGC) approval system actually works in India:
## 1. What the UGC Approves: Universities
The UGC primarily recognizes and grants approval to **institutions** (Central, State, Deemed, and Private Universities) under the UGC Act, 1956.
* Once a university is established by law and recognized under **Section 2(f)** (and **12(B)** for grants), it gets the statutory power to grant degrees.
## 2. How Courses Are Handled by the UGC
While the UGC doesn't inspect or approve every traditional syllabus (like a regular B.A., B.Sc., or B.Com), it governs courses in three main ways:
* **Specified Degree Titles:** Under **Section 22** of the UGC Act, universities can only grant degrees with nomenclature/names explicitly specified and published by the UGC (e.g., B.A., B.Tech, M.A.). If a university invents an unapproved degree title (like "Bachelor of Corporate Knowledge"), that degree is invalid.
* **Distance & Online Learning (ODL):** For Online or Distance Education, the UGC **does approve specific courses program-by-program** through the Distance Education Bureau (DEB).
* **Professional / Technical Courses:** Technical, medical, law, and teaching courses require approval from their respective **Statutory Councils** (not UGC directly):
* **Engineering / Management:** AICTE
* **Law:** Bar Council of India (BCI)
* **Medicine:** National Medical Commission (NMC)
* **Teacher Training:** NCTE
* **Pharmacy:** Pharmacy Council of India (PCI)
> **Summary:** A UGC-recognized university has the autonomy to run regular on-campus courses, but the **degree title** must be recognized by the UGC, professional courses must be cleared by **statutory bodies**, and online/distance courses need **explicit UGC-DEB course approval**.
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