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Pharmacy Education in India
American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2010; 74 (4) Article 68.

SPECIAL ARTICLES Pharmacy Education in India
Subal C. Basak, MPharm, and Dondeti Sathyanarayana, PhD
Department of Pharmacy, Annamalai University
Submitted August 16, 2009; accepted October 25, 2009; published May 12, 2010.

Pharmacy education in India traditionally has been industry and product oriented. In contrast to the situation in developed nations, graduate pharmacists prefer placements in the pharmaceutical industry. To practice as a pharmacist in India, one needs at least a diploma in pharmacy, which is awarded after only 2 years and 3 months of pharmacy studies. These diploma-trained pharmacists are the mainstay of pharmacy practice. The pharmacy practice curriculum has not received much attention. In India, there has been a surge in the number of institutions offering pharmacy degrees at various levels and a practicebased doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) degree program was started in some private institutions in 2008. However, relatively little information has been published describing the current status of complex pharmacy education of India. In this paper we describe pharmacy education in India and highlight major issues in pharmacy practice including deficiencies in curriculum. The changing face of the profession is discussed, including the establishment of the PharmD program. The information presented in this paper may stimulate discussion and critical analysis and planning, and will be of value in further adaptation of the pharmacy education to desired educational outcomes.
Keywords: pharmacy education, pharmacy practice, India

INTRODUCTION
India, a developing nation that occupies the greater part of South Asia, is a sovereign, secular republic consisting of 28 states and 7 union territories.1 With a population of approximately 1.2 billion,2 India is the second most populous country on the planet. In India, formal pharmacy education leading to a degree began with the


References: 1. The National Portal of India, New Delhi 2009. Know India-States and Union Territories. http://india.gov.in/knowindia/state_uts.php. Accessed April 14, 2010. 2. Central Intelligence Agency. The World Fact Book - India. http:// www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html. Accessed April 14, 2010. 3. Singh H. History of Pharmacy in India and Related Aspects. Volume 2: Pharmaceutical Education. 1st ed. Delhi: Vallabh Prakashan; 1994. 4. Kaul R. History of modern pharmacy in India: a review of the work of Professor Harkishan Sing. Pharm Hist. 2009;54(1);34-42. 5. The Pharmacy Act, 1948. Government of India, Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs. http://www.pci.nic.in/contents.htm. Accessed April 14, 2010. 6. Pharmacy Council of India. http://www.pci.nic.in/. Accessed April 14, 2010. 7. Lal LS, Rao PG. Clinical pharmacy education in India. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2005;62:1510-1511. 8. Agarwal P. Higher education in India: need for change. http:// www.icrier.org/pdf/ICRIER_WP180__Higher_Education_in_ India_.pdf. Accessed April 14, 2010. 9. Quality education of technical education in India. http://www. ukieri.org/docs/chennai-conference-march2008/Quality-Assuranceof-technical-Education-in%20India-Prasad-Krishna.pps. Accessed April 14, 2010. 10. Chengappa R. Higher education: How to clean the mess. http:// indiatoday.intoday.in/index.php?option5com_content&task5view &id549794&Itemid51&issueid5113&sectionid530&page5 archieve&limit51&limitstart52. Accessed April 14, 2010. 11. Basak SC, Sathyanarayana D. Pharmacy practice and education in India: current issues and trends. Pharma Rev. 2008;7(37):71-76. 12. Singh H. Pharmaceutical education and pharmacy practice: A historical perspective. Pharma Times. 2009;41(2):16-18. 13. West Bengal Joint Entrance Board. Opening and closing rank. http://wbjeeb.in/download/ope%20closing.doc08.htm. Accessed April 14, 2010. 14. All India Council for Technical Education. http://www.aicteindia.org/. Accessed April 14, 2010. 15. The Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules there under 1945, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. http://www.cdsco.nic.in/html/Drugs&CosmeticAct.pdf. Accessed April 14, 2010. 16. Hepler CD, Strand LM. Opportunities and responsibilities in pharmaceutical care. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1990;47:533-543. SUMMARY Pharmacy education in India, both at the BPharm and MPharm levels, is taught as an industry- and productoriented profession with a focus on the basic sciences.23 During the past decade, pharmacy education has expanded significantly in terms of number of institutions offering pharmacy program at various levels. However, pharmacy education in India continues to be one of the last options for students aspiring to a university degree. The pharmacists with a BPharm or MPharm generally seek avenues other than pharmacy practice. These pharmacists prefer placements in production, regulatory affairs, management and/ or quality assurance, and marketing with the pharmaceutical industry. Only small numbers of these graduates and postgraduates opt to work in community and institutional pharmacies. In India, diploma holders (DPharm holders) are practicing pharmacists in the global sense as they engage in community or institution pharmacy practice. A specialized MPharm in pharmacy practice program launched in the 1990s failed to create employment opportunities in practice areas for these postgraduates. The main change that is currently affecting pharmacy practice is the introduction of the PharmD program in India. One thousand four hundred ten students have enrolled in 47 colleges (mostly private sector) localized in a small geographical part (South India) of India. Going by the experience of socioeconomic status of our country, this steep increase in the required study period from the 2-year DPharm to the 6-year PharmD for producing practicing pharmacists raises issues of PharmD-trained pharmacists who seems to be ‘‘unavailable’’ to serve for India. 7 American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2010; 74 (4) Article 68. 17. The Tamilnadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, BPharm Regulations and Syllabus from 2004-2005 onwards. Available at: http://www.tnmmu.ac.in/pdf/bpharmrs0405.pdf. Accessed April 14, 2010. 18. Mangasuli S, Surulivel R, Ahmed Khan S. A decade of pharmacy practice education in India [letter]. Am J Pharm Educ. 2008;72(1):16. 19. Basak SC. Pharm. D.: For a flawless curriculum. http://www. pharmabiz.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid547436&sectionid550. Accessed April 14, 2010. 20. Kulkarni SK. D.Pharm or PharmD: A professional chirality. Indian. J Pharm Educ Res. 2009;43(2):114-116. 21. Jamshed S, Babar Z, Masood I. The PharmD degree in developing country [letter]. Am J Pharm Educ. 2007;71:125. 22. Miglani BD. Sixth pay commission report-fatal blow for practicing pharmacists. Pharma Review. 2008;7:69-70. 23. Human resources for pharmacy sector in India. 2007. http://www. whoindia.org/LinkFiles/Human_Resources_human_resources_for_ pharmacy_sector.pdf. Accessed April 14, 2010. 8
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