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Appreciating the efforts of the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) for initiating efforts to reform the quality and standard of pharmacy education, the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) has welcomed the decision to revise the curriculum for the degree course, B Pharm.
The association finds that the revision of the curriculum will help reshape the future of pharmacy education in India in making pharmacy graduates industry-ready professionals.
In a letter of appreciation addressed to the president of the PCI, Dr. Montu Kumar Patel, the association secretary wanted the council to consider representation for IPA in the Curriculum Drafting Committee.
Dr. Subhash Mondal, general secretary of the association said in his letter that IPA represents pharmacy professionals including pharmacists, practitioners, scientists, regulators, researchers, industry professionals and educators in the pharmacy field. The members of the pharmacist body have tremendous understanding of the evolving needs of the industry and the upcoming academic environment worldwide.
“Our members have significant experience in the practical application of pharmaceutical knowledge, and they are actively involved in various facets of pharmaceutical practice, education, and research. Given our extensive network and expertise in multiple fields of pharmacy, IPA's involvement in the curriculum drafting process will provide valuable insights that will help enhance the relevance and applicability of the curriculum in addressing current and future challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. Our aim is to contribute towards taking steps to ensure that the revised curriculum is comprehensive and aligned with industry trends, regulatory requirements and global advancements in pharmaceutical sciences and practice,” says the letter sent to Dr. Montu Kumar Patel.
Dr. Mondal says that IPA is ready to associate with PCI for any consultative process related to the revision of the curriculum of the degree course. He reminded the president of the PCI that IPA was part of various committees of the PCI in the past for framing of syllabus and making other reforms. The association is free to offer its expertise, research findings and professional perspectives that may benefit the process and ultimately contribute to a more robust and industry-relevant curriculum.
Currently, IPA has representations in the Drug Technical Advisory Board under the Ministry of Health, in the Life Sciences Sector Skill Development Council (LSSSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE). At the international level it is a member of the Federation of International Pharmacists (FIP), Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA), Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Association (FAPA), South East Asian Regional Pharmaceutical Forum (SearPharm) and American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS).
Raj Vaidya, the chairman of the Community Pharmacist Division of the IPA said PCI is going to revise the curriculum of B Pharm to make it industry-oriented. The syllabus is in alignment with the union government’s New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which is more holistic, multidisciplinary and emphasizes skill development. According to him, the new syllabus provides immense flexibility to the students during their B.Pharm course and encourages experiential learning and critical thinking. Students can choose courses, modules or tracks that align with their interests and career goals.
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