Hyderabad: Pharmacy students are upset with some universities which are not prefixing ‘Dr’ in their certificates on completion of Pharm-D (Doctor of Pharmacy) and post-baccalaureate courses.
Only Andhra University, Vinayaka Missions University, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Karnataka and a few others are using the prefix. The JNTUs at Hyderabad and Kakinada, Osmania, Kakatiya, Palamuru, Krishna and Acharya Nagarjuna universities are not using the prefix. Others that do not follow the practice are Dr MGR University in Tamil Nadu, Sant Gadge Baba University, Maharashtra, and Jiwaji University, Madhya Pradesh.
Dr Sai Kumar K., president of Doctor of Pharmacy Association, said, “The UGC Act makes it mandatory for universities to issue degrees. The Pharmacy Council (PCI) of India has issued three circulars from 2008 to 2015 stating that ‘Dr’ prefix must be attached while giving the certificate.”
He said some universities were not complying with the law. “Osmania University, for instance, issued certificates with the ‘Dr’ prefix for the first batch but discontinued it,” he said.
Asked about the complaint, OU registrar Prof. Gopal Reddy said, “We have not got any guidelines from the UGC or the Pharmacy Council of India for prefixing ‘Dr’ to the names of Pharma D. graduates.”
A senior officer of the university explained, “Universities feel that people will not be able to distinguish between an MBBS doctor and a Pharm-D doctor. The graduates have been asked to register with the Pharmacy Council of India and display certificate. Students who had joined the course with the lure of the ‘Dr’ prefix are disappointed and are raising a hue and cry.”
Prof Dr Vijay Ratna of Andhra University said, “The students are making it a prestige issue. Even in the MBBS certificate, the degree is mentioned and not the prefix. They get the prefix when they register with the Pharmacy Council of India.”
PCI member, Venkat Reddy said, “We have been sending circulars asking the universities to place the prefix on the certificates but not all of them have done so.”
Council list has 279 fake colleges
The All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has asked students to refrain from enrolling in pharmacy courses conducted by private institutions as many of them are not recognised.
The council has also asked governments and universities to check the institutions claiming to have approved Pharm- D courses. The council has issued a public notice to this effect.
There are a total of 224 Pharm-D (Doctor of Pharmacy) colleges in India out of which 57 are in Telangana State and 59 in AP. A public notice issued by AICTE has listed 279 fake institutions and advises parents and students against taking admission.
AICTE issues such notice every three months. The fake institutions offer unrecognised courses like diploma in pharmacy, PG certificate course, PG diploma and fellowship.
A senior member of Pharmacy Council of India said the doctor of pharmacy course was launched nine years ago but the AICTE was creating hurdles rather than regularising pharmacy courses.
“Students are left in the lurch after studying pharmacy. The Pharm-D Doctors Welfare Association is fighting to get jobs in the government sector. But private pharma companies are employing BSc graduates.
Pharmacists feel that antibiotic resistance is becoming a major health concern and it’s important for pharmacists to be part of this issue where research is urgently needed,” he said.
