PCI to extend approval for existing courses for the academic year 2023-24
The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has decided to extend the approval of existing courses for the academic year 2023-24 for the institutions which are approved by the Council, in the larger interest of the students and to maintain the timeline for the academic session.
It has also decided to give seven more days to those institutions which have applied for new courses and raise in admission to submit the statutory documents, wherever the documents are incomplete, and to reject the application if they are not able to submit documents within stipulated time.
The PCI has initiated the approval process for the existing institutions for continuation of the courses, introduction of new courses and raise in admission seats in the existing institutions by opening up its portal inviting applications from the institutions starting from February 3, 2023. It has also extended the final data of submission of applications from the initially notified February 20, 2023 to February 27 through another notification.
The Council has now said that the Executive Committee of the PCI in a meeting held on March 5 decided that in the larger interest of the students and to maintain the timeline for 2023-24 academic session, it has decided to extend the approval.
As per the meeting, regarding extension of approval for existing courses, it has decided to extend approval for the year 2023-24 academic session (one year) in respect of those institutions which are approved by PCI, as per approved course and intake in 2022-23. The inspection for these courses will be conducted by the PCI throughout the year and the outcome of inspection will be treated as the decision for 2024-25 academic session.
Regarding the applications for the introduction of new courses and raise in admission in the existing institutions, it has decided to extend the approval of existing courses as approved by PCI as per approved intake in 2022-23.
“Regarding introduction of new course and raise in admission, inspection will be conducted if statutory documents are complete. Wherever statutory documents are not complete, seven days’ time will be given to institutions to submit the same failing which application for introduction of new course and raise in admission be rejected,” said a circular issued by the PCI after the meeting.
The Council has earlier said that for those who are looking for approval for new institutions, the Council may come up with an announcement separately.
The portal, opened by the PCI to submit applications related to the existing courses, has facilities for the institutions to submit applications for the Diploma in Pharmacy (D Pharm) course, Bachelor of Pharmacy (B Pharm) course, and the Master of Pharmacy (M Pharm) course, under the Schemes framed under the relevant Acts.
The institutions who want to change the name of institution or trust, change the address or location of the institution, change the examining authority, hospital, or close down the course of the institution, have to apply within the format during the timeframe.
It has earlier said that during approval process for the academic year 2023-24, for introduction of new pharmacy courses by existing institutions, the institution will have to apply on the portal along with requisite Pharmacy Education Regulatory Charges (non-refundable) along with Goods and Services Tax (GST) and submit certain documents mandatorily at the time of application for consideration of the application. The PCI has later decided not to charge the security deposit from the pharmacy institutions for the academic year 2023-24 and to revise the Pharmacy Education Regulatory Charges (PERC) for pharmacy courses for new and existing instructions with significant reduction in various charges.
All institutions that are already approved by the PCI for conduct of course and approved under Section 12 for registration as a pharmacist for the Pharmacy courses, have to mandatorily apply on the PCI portal, submitting all the requisite information and Pharmacy Education Regulatory Charges for consideration of approval.
Institutions already having approval for 2023-24 or beyond 2023-24 academic sessions shall also mandatorily apply in Standard Inspection Format (SIF) and pay the mandatory charges for retention of already granted approval, it added in earlier directive.
“Applying for approval is entirely the responsibility of the institutions and failure to apply will result in not being reflected in the approved list of Institutions on the Council’s website leading to ‘No Admission Year’,” said the statutory body.
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