BITS Pilani VC urges Health Minister to Amend PCI Act

Requesting urgent intervention, Rao writes that he has been hearing horror stories of PCI committees which come for inspections.

BITS Pilani Vice-Chancellor has urged Union Health Minister and Prime Minister to amend the Pharmacy Council of India Act and allow NIPER PhDs to work in universities as faculty members. There are seven National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) in the country and the first one was established at SAS Nagar, Mohali.

The NIPERs are Prof V. Ramgopal Rao, VC of BITS Pilani campuses sharing his experience related to the recruitment of faculty at the pharmacy department stated that NIPERs are not recognised by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).

He writes: If a pharmacy department in the university recruits a NIPER PhD, PCI doesn't count them as faculty. Though NIPERs are Institute of National Importance, during 2007-08, six new NIPERs were started at Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Hajipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Raebareli

“Our institutes of eminence and best source for high-quality Faculty,” writes Rao.

Rao further writes that he has been hearing horror stories of PCI committees which come for inspections. “I see an urgent need for intervention by Mansukh Mandviya who heads both ministries. I am sure some amendments in the act are required,” Rao writes.

NIPERs have been established to nurture and promote quality and excellence in pharmaceutical education and research, they offer Master's, Doctoral and post-Doctoral courses and research in pharmaceutical education.

At present these NIPERs impart PhD and PG level courses and as per the provisions of the NIPER Act, 1998, NIPERs have the power to grant degrees and other academic distinctions and titles.

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