Governed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is a statutory organisation. Under the Pharmacy Act of 1948, it was established. On March 4, 1948, the Council was formally established.
Members
The Pharmacy Council of India is constituted by central government every five years. . There are three types of members collectively forms a frame of PCI
- Elected members
- Nominated members
- Ex-officio members
Objectives
The objectives of the PCI are: –
- To regulate the pharmacy education in the Country.
- To allow the registration as a pharmacist under the pharmacy act.
- To regulate the profession and practice of pharmacy.
Main functions of PCI
The main functions of the PCI are:
- To specify the minimal level of education necessary to become a licenced pharmacist. According to the Pharmacy Act (section 10):
- Formulation of Education Regulations that specify the requirements that educational institutions seeking PCI accreditation for pharmacy instruction must meet. According to the Pharmacy Act, Section 10 (Referenced here)
- To guarantee that the educational standards are implemented in a consistent manner throughout the nation. (See, for example, Pharmacy Act section 10)
- Inquiry into Pharmacy Institutions applying for Pharmacy Act clearance to check compliance with the required standards. (See Pharmacy Act, section 16)
- It is necessary to authorise the academic training institutes that provide pharmacy courses, as well as their curriculum. Section 12 of the Pharmacy Act refers to this issue.
- If the authorised course of study or an approved test does not continue to meet the educational criteria set by the PCI, the PCI has the authority to revoke its approval. In accordance with the Pharmacy Act, Section 13 (referenced here)
- To approve foreign credentials given outside of the jurisdiction of the Pharmacy Act, i.e. (See Pharmacy Act, section 14)
- To maintain Central Register of Pharmacists. (Ref. : section 15 A of the Pharmacy Act)
