Pharm D Graduates Now Eligible for Drug Inspector Recruitment, Says MPSC
Mumbai: In a major respite for Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) professionals, the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) has revised its eligibility rules for the Drug Inspector post, formally recognizing Pharm D as a valid qualification. The move corrects a long-standing policy gap that had excluded Pharm D despite its recognition under a 2019 Central Government Gazette.
According to a recent media report in the Times of India, the revised notification, issued on August 14, 2025, came after days of agitation by Pharm D students and graduates across Maharashtra. MPSC’s earlier recruitment advertisement had left out the degree, leading to automatic rejection of applications from eligible candidates. The exclusion sparked state-wide protests, with the Pharm D community pointing out that their degree had already been deemed equivalent or superior to DPharm, BPharm, and MPharm under the Gazette notification.
To press their demand, members of the Doctor of Pharmacy Association – Maharashtra (DOPA MH) mobilized district units in Amravati, Beed, and Nashik. Petitions were submitted to district collectors, while the Beed unit also secured support from Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
At the state level, a high-powered delegation led by Dr Vinayak Ghayal (President), Dr Manoj Pisure (Secretary), Dr Swapnil Munde (Treasurer), and Dr Pratik Shinde (Vice Secretary) met MPSC Secretary Dr Suvarna Kharat in Mumbai on August 13. Their discussions concluded positively, and within 24 hours, MPSC issued a fresh notification restoring eligibility for Pharm D graduates.
Welcoming the development, Dr Ghayal told Times of India, “The inclusion of Pharm D is not just an administrative correction but a recognition of our rightful role in drug safety and regulation.”
Dr Swapnil Munde added, “This is a collective victory for every Pharm D graduate and faculty member who stood firm in this struggle.”
