Last Updated on December 31, 2023 by The Health Master
In an effort to address the administrative challenges and financial burden of the students for the Exit Examination for a Diploma in Pharmacy, scheduled later during the year, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is planning to amend the regulations to bring down the number of papers from three to one.
The Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulation, 2022, notified by the PCI on February 24, 2022, had procedures for conducting an exit examination with three papers of multiple choice questions in pharmaceutics, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, hospital and clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical jurisprudence, and drug store management.
The 371st Executive Committee of the PCI, in its meeting held on August 8, 2022, has decided to initiate action for amendment of the regulations and has proposed to amend the procedure to conduct one paper of multiple choice questions in pharmaceutics, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, hospital and clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutical jurisprudence, and drug store management, as against the three papers proposed earlier.
In tune with the change, amendments will be made to declare a candidate as having passed only if he obtains a minimum of 50 per cent marks in the paper, instead of the previous regulation that the candidate shall obtain a minimum of 50 per cent marks in each paper separately.
Similarly, while the regulation was that a candidate shall have to pass all three papers in the same attempt, the amendment suggests that the candidate shall have to pass the paper in the same attempt. However, there shall be no restriction on the number of attempts to appear in the examination.
“There will be administrative challenges in administering examinations on three days for around two lakh candidates,” said PCI in justification of the proposed amendments. “It will also increase the financial burden on students,” it added.
The Council has sought the state governments and union territories to share their feedback on the proposed amendment within a fixed period.
“The Council would appreciate having considered comments of the State governments/Union Territories on the above-proposed amendments within three months of the 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 on the matter,” it added.
The PCI, in August this year, announced that the exit exam may be held in November 2022. This would be the first such examination to be conducted as per the provisions of the Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022.
The 371st executive committee of the PCI, in its meeting held on August 8, 2022, has decided to hold the examination in November, while the other details, like the date of the examination, centres for the examination, and others, will be announced in due course of time.
The Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022 has designated the PCI to announce the details regarding the scheme for conducting the Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination and the syllabus of the test from time to time for the information of the candidates.
The aim is to ensure that the student has acquired core competencies in dispensing medicines and other areas of pharmacy practice and to reinforce his discipline, integrity, judgement, skills, knowledge, and quest for learning so that after having passed the examination, the student is able to become a registered pharmacist who is able to exercise his professional skills in addition to carrying out their duties and responsibilities professionally.
According to the regulation, the PCI may, for the purposes of conducting exit examinations, establish an authority to be known as the Prescribed Authority or designate an authority as the Prescribed Authority that shall conduct the examinations as may be decided by the PCI from time to time.
The candidates may appear for the exit examination conducted twice every year or as frequently as may be required as per the schedule of examination announced by the Prescribed Authority.
The procedure of conducting the test shall be in accordance with the scheme announced by the Pharmacy Council of India in this regard.
The date of examination and the examination centre will be allotted to the candidate by the Prescribed Authority based on the availability of the examination centres, said the regulation.
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