Delhi govt makes B Pharm as basic qualification for pharmacist post
The government of Delhi has made Bachelor of
Pharmacy (B Pharm) the basic educational qualification for pharmacist post in
government services. Besides, it has also approved three cadre structures for
promotional avenues for the pharmacists. The Delhi government has issued a
gazette notification dated 29.03.2019 in this regard.
The newly approved three cadre structures are pharmacist,
senior pharmacist and assistant chief pharmacist (ACP). Upgrading of basic
qualification and creation of cadre structure were the long standing demands of
various pharmacist associations in north India, except Bihar where most of the
registered pharmacists are diploma holders.
The government’s decision has come in the wake of a Central
Administrative Tribunal order of 24 April 2012 which was kept in abeyance by
the government for seven years without taken for implementation. In the
meantime, the petitioner, Pharmacy Graduates Welfare Association (PGWA), New
Delhi filed a contempt petition before the CAT’s Principal Bench which, in
January this year, directed the government to implement its order immediately.
Following this, the government of NCT of Delhi has taken steps to implement it.
However, PGWA, the pharmacists’ body is not satisfied with
the government decision of approval of only three cadre posts by the
government. They wanted total seven promotional cadres. Pharmacist, senior
pharmacist, assistant chief pharmacist (ACP), chief pharmacist (C), district
pharmacy officer (DPO), deputy director of pharmacy (DDP) and director of
pharmacy (DP). But the government approved only three, said Deepak Trehan,
president of PGWA which fought for nine years in the court for obtaining this
order.
As on today, cadre posts for pharmacists were created only in
Uttarakhand where there are six promotional posts for the working pharmacists
in the government sector. In all other states and union territories, from the
time of joining service as a pharmacist, he continues to be on the same rank till
he retires. But in Delhi, along with the creation of promotion posts, the
government has upgraded the qualification also. Whereas, in Uttarakhand, the
basic qualification is still diploma in pharmacy like any other state.
With the upgrading of basic qualification, the National
Capital Territory of Delhi becomes the first among the 29 states and seven
union territories in India to have made the recruitment rules (RR) for
pharmacists by upgrading the basic qualification to degree. From now on , those
who want to apply for the post need to have degree in pharmaceutical sciences
as their minimum qualification.
While briefing Pharmabiz, the association leader said since
the government has raised the qualification to B Pharm which is the minimum
qualification for the drug inspector post also, the pay scale and rank of the
pharmacist in Delhi should be made equal. Going a step ahead, he said the
pharmacy degree course is a four-year program and is controlled by AICTE along
with PCI, so they should be given the rank and status of engineers.
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