Pharmacy Council sets 1:20 staff to students ratio, tightens faculty rules for B.Pharm programs

This update comes as part of a revised circular, which modifies key sections of the previous circular to initiate the approval process for pharmacy institutions for the academic session 2025-26.

As part of the revisions, PCI has introduced significant changes to the B.Pharm program regulations, including the staff-to-student ratio and faculty requirements, effective from the 2025-26 academic session. The new staff-to-student ratio will fill a gap in the previous Bachelor of Pharmacy Course Regulations of 2014.

"Staff to student's ratio is not specified in the Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) Course Regulations, 2014. Staff to student's ratio should not exceed 1:20 in theory classes and practical classes in B.Pharm course," the circular read.

In addition to the staff-to-student ratio, PCI has revised the faculty requirements according to student enrollment. For institutions with 60 students, the total number of teachers has been reduced from 15 to 12, consisting of 3 professors, 4 associate professors, and 5 assistant professors or lecturers, excluding the principal. For institutions with 100 students, the number of teachers is reduced from 25 to 20, including 4 professors, 7 associate professors, and 9 assistant professors or lecturers, again excluding the principal. Furthermore, for institutions offering both D.Pharm and B.Pharm programs with a combined enrollment of 60 students, the total staff strength has been reduced from 21 to 18, excluding the principal.

For institutions wishing to introduce new courses or specializations, additional requirements must be met. For B.Pharm programs, institutions must submit the consent of affiliation and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the state government. If the NOC issuance has been discontinued, a communication from the government must be uploaded. For Pharm.D and Pharm.D (PB) programs, institutions must provide a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a 300-bedded hospital in the prescribed format, along with the consent of affiliation.

PCI has also clarified the maximum number of admissions allowed for each program. D.Pharm is capped at 60 seats, B.Pharm at either 60 or 100 seats, M.Pharm specializations at 15 per specialization, Pharm.D at 30, Pharm.D (PB) at 10, and B.Pharm (Practice) at 40 seats.

Regarding payments and services, institutions must pay the Pharmacy Education Regulatory Charges (PERC) through available gateways such as Bill Desk, NEFT/RTGS, or SBI. New institutions are also required to pay a registration fee of Rs. 10,000, plus any applicable charges. Additionally, institutions may apply for services such as changes to their name, address, or location, the closure of courses, or mergers.

Institutions are required to submit their applications for various approvals through the PCI portal, open from December 18, 2024, to January 15, 2025. These approvals include the continuation of approval, introduction of new courses, and an increase in student intake. The PCI has emphasized the importance of early submissions to avoid delays caused by last-minute filings, as no extensions will be granted beyond the deadline.