India Strengthens Pharmacy Education Quality Through New Regulations and Technology
The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), the regulatory body for pharmacy education and profession, is actively implementing measures to maintain minimum standards of education. The government has also implemented the Aadhaar authentication system for identity verification. The PCI is developing a single-window registration system for pharmacists, linked with the student portal.
Pharmacy Council of India Urges Strict Adherence to Education Regulations for All Institutions
The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has issued a directive to all pharmacy institutions across the country, emphasizing the imperative need for strict compliance with its various Education Regulations. This call for adherence comes in light of legal requirements and issues that have arisen concerning the implementation of these regulations.
Pharmacy Council of India Issues Guidelines for Inspections in Academic Year 2025-2026
Institutions must ensure that all faculty members possess valid QR code-generated smart cards from the DIGI-PHARMed Portal before inspections. Failure to have these arrangements in place during inspection will result in the institution being levied the cost of the inspection.
Health Ministry Allows Pharmacy Council of India Access to Aadhaar-Based Attendance System
Pharmacy Council of India can access the attendance data of officials, faculty and students of the Pharmacy Council of India-approved pharmacy colleges online from the centralised Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance System. Further, PCI must adhere to the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, rules, regulations, or guidelines made thereunder and directions issued with respect to the use of Aadhaar authentication as laid down by the Unique Identification Authority of India or Central Government.
PCI Extends Deadline for Statutory Document Submission for Pharmacy Institutions
PCI has extended the deadline for submitting appeals and compliance documents to March 15, 2025. Institutions must submit their appeals and compliance documents through the PCI portal under the “appeal” head only.
PCI Tightens Inspection Guidelines for Pharmacy Institutions
Inspectors must verify that the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) is installed and compliant with the Gazette Notification dated 24.11.2024 and PCI guidelines. Inspectors must confirm that faculty members who have given consent to an institution are considered faculty only for that specific institution.
Pharmacy Council of India Mandates Automatic Faculty Relieving After Resignation
Faculty members will be automatically relieved after a period of 30 or 45 days from the date of their relieving request on the DIGI-PHARMed Portal. If institutions fail to relieve faculty members within the stipulated timeframe, their names will be automatically removed from the institution’s portal.
March 6th Declared “National Pharmacy Education Day”
This year’s “National Pharmacy Education Day,” to be observed on March 6th, 2025, will focus on the theme “Entrepreneurship & Startups in Pharma and Pharmacy Practice: Encouraging Innovation, Incubation Centers and Pharmaceutical Startups,” under the banner of “Pharma Anveshan 2025.”
Pharmacy Institutions Must Acquire UIDAI-Whitelisted Devices
All approved pharmacy institutions are required to purchase AEBAS devices whitelisted on UIDAI servers to enable secure Aadhaar authentication. Institutions are obligated to upload details of their acquired AEBAS devices onto the dedicated AEBAS section of the DIGI-PHARMed Portal.
DIGI-PHARMed Portal Opens to All Approved Pharmacy Students
The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has announced the opening of the DIGI-PHARMed Portal to all approved pharmacy students.
