Chandigarh [India], Dec.24 (ANI): Arguing that pharmacy education courses are not technical programmes, the 69th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC) on Sunday passed a resolution that called on the Central Government to liberate all pharmacy courses from dual control of two agencies, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

On the concluding day of the three day conference held here, Dr. Shailendra SarafChairmanLocal Organising Committee, said "the IPC issue of dual control of pharmacy education in India by Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has been affecting quality and prospects of pharmacy professionals for some time now. No initiative has been taken by the Central Government to sort out this issue even after repeated representations by the PCI and pharmacy professionals in the past. The PCI made an appeal to all the pharmaceutical associations, pharmacy professionals and new graduates to come together on one platform to press for a single regulating body for the pharmacy education in the country. Nothing much happened even after that appeal".

"The Indian Pharma Congress is upset mainly because the AICTE is also sanctioning new pharmacy colleges and conducting periodical inspections of these institutions without the knowledge of PCI. In view of this, there is confusion existing among pharmacy colleges, students and the common man as to which authority is actually responsible to ensure standards for pharmacy education and the profession. Now, the Pharmaceutical Congress has brought in a resolution urging the central government to do away with the AICTE control on pharmacy courses in the country".

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