Bhubaneswar: Odisha government is not honoring its own approved educational qualification when it comes to recruit pharmacist. At least that is what it appears when the State health department comes out with advertisement for recruiting pharmacist.
The State health department through central counselling admits D.Pharma students into institutes approved by Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) . However, when it comes for recruitment in the government job, the department issues advertisement for students who have passed from AICTE approved institutes.
The Odisha president of Indian Pharmaceutical Assocaition (IPA), Sruti Ranjan Mishra, has said that the State health department is either confused or deliberately no honoring its own D.Pharma degree. Stating this attitude of the health department has pushed the fate thousands of D.Pharma degree holders into uncertainity, he demanded that the government should honour its own approved D. Pharma course and institutions while going for recruitment of pharmacists.
The Odisha branch of IPA along with the Odisha Pharmacy College Association, Indian Pharmaceutical Graduate Association, Associates of Pharmacy Teachers of India, Odisha Pharmacy Intellectual Forum, and Odisha Bachelor Pharmacy Association has expressed its reservation over the government’s move to allow as many as 117 private pharmacy colleges in the State.
The various bodies of pharmacists has doubted the ulterior motive of the government in approving such a huge number of pharmacy institutions in the state. The associations have pointed out that the government’s move is contrary to the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI)’s moratorium over opening of pharmacy institutions except North Eastern States for five years from the academic session of 2020.
The Associations also raised the issue of delay in completion of pharmacy courses and publication of results. A 27-month Diploma in Pharmacy course is now taking three to four years for completion because of the delayed procedures by the Odisha State Board of Pharmacy (OSBP), which controls the academic and examination activities.
The Associations alleged that the B. Pharma and M.Pharma students are not getting their provisional certificates and mark-sheets from the BPUT in time. Students those passed out in 2012 are yet to get their final mark-sheets.
Alleging that the pharmacist are being compelled to works as health workers and ambulatory supporting staff, the Associations demanded that the government should create enough job opportunity for the pharma qualified students and create a pharmacist cadre in the government.
