PCI to amend Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulation 2022
New Delhi: In a letter to the Principal Secretary (Health/Technical Education), all State Governments, and Union Territories, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has requested input on the proposed amendments to regulation 6 of the "Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022," which would reduce the number of papers from three to one and define passing as a minimum of 50% of the marks in that paper.
Furthermore, modifying the Exit Examination Procedure, the proposed amendment will increase the test duration to three and a half hours rather than three hours.
The letter further justified the proposed amendments by pointing out that conducting exams over three days for almost 2 lakh candidates will provide administrative challenges as well as increase the financial burden on students.
The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is a statutory body working under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. It is constituted under the Pharmacy Act, 1948 to regulate the profession and practice of pharmacy in the country.
With due approval of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, the PCI has notified the "Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022" in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary No. 109, Part — III, Section- 4, dt. 24.02.2022. The said Regulations are available on the Council's website www.pci.me.in.
The 371st Executive Committee of the PCI in its meeting held in 8th August, 2022 has decided to initiate action for amendments of following regulations of "Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022" as per following details —
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6. The procedure of conducting the exit examination :- (b)There shall be three papers of multiple choice questions in pharmaceutics, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, hospital and clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical jurisprudence, and drug store management. The language of the examination shall be english. The test for each paper shall be of three hours' duration. | 7. The procedure of conducting the exit examination :- (b)There shall be one paper of multiple choice questions in pharmaceutics, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, hospital and clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical jurisprudence, and drug store management. The language of the examination shall be english. The duration of the test shall be three and a half hours. |
(c)A candidate shall be declared as having passed only, if he obtains a minimum of 50% marks in each paper separately | (c) A candidate shall be declared as having passed only,if he obtains a minimum of 50% marks in the paper |
(d) A candidate shall have pass all the three papers in the same attempt. However, there shall be no restriction on the number of attempts to appear I the examination. | (d) A candidate shall have pass the papers in the same attempt. However, there shall be no restriction on the number of attempts to appear I the examination |
In light of the aforementioned suggested amendments, the PCI noted, "The Council would, appreciate to have considered comments of the State Governments / Union Territories on the above proposed amendments within three months of issuance of this letter as required under sub-section (3) of section 10 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 to enable the Pharmacy Council of India to take further action in the matter."
