Uniform Syllabus Format for the Pharmacy Courses from Next Year  

A uniform syllabus is in the pipeline and the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is going to enforce it from mid-January 2016. The thrust will be imminent regarding the field of Information Communication Technology or ICT.

Additionally, the Council also wants to create an open source platform so that information access can be simplified in quality time. The role of uniform communication, as well as the integration of disseminating knowledge with regards to the course of pharmacy, covers the wireless signals and telephone lines (while using cellular phones, network hardware, television, computer, and radio). While covering the M Pharma and B Pharma courses, the move is going to provide a boost to distance learning and video conferencing.

The change in the syllabus is well in sync with the gazetted M Pharma and B Pharma regulations. No permission from the government is needed while uploading or updating this. Dr B Suresh, vice chancellor, JSS University, Mysuru, president, Pharmacy Council of India and chairman local organizing committee, 67th IPC, told Pharmabiz that the syllabus, after the change that it has undergone, will act as a propellant to the ICT.

The education enabled by ICT will find a firm integration with the new syllabus. The want for fulfilling the lack of good quality education due to the absence of experienced teachers all across the region will be satisfied.

“The Council is also deliberating on an open source platform. Although it is seen to be a bit too much of an ambitious program, we are earnestly considering to create an open source platform which will enable any teacher or student to have access to information. They could even put up an expert report if there is a committee to vet its contents and clear it for uploading. The pharmacy professionals can view the same for more information on any topic', stated Dr. Suresh.

As per the education experts, the Indian pharmacy education has witnessed the biggest transformation owing to the introduction of open source platform. The open protocols, open data, and the open standards act as a big booster, enabling the flow of education in a transparent and hence, efficient manner.

The teaching landscape will be transformed by the uniform circulation which will be witnessed across the colleges dealing with pharmacy education. “So long Indian pharmacy colleges followed different syllabus and the need for an identical format was much wanting. Now this is on similar lines that of the Medical and Dental Councils of India (MCI and DCI)”, said Dr M D Karvekar, executive committee member, Pharmacy Council of India and director, Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy.