New Delhi: The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has banned 89 apekeec colleges in Maharashtra from recognizing first-year students for the academic session 2025-26, after inspections have expired, including insufficient education staff, as well as poor infrastructure and safety measures. The move affects 71 Diploma in Pharmacy (D. Pharma) and 18 Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) in the state, according to documents revised by mint and people familiar with matter. The PCI is a statutory body under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and is responsible for regulating the pharmacy training and profession in the country. The ruling follows a letter of September 15 of the Maharashtra government to PCI, which recommends the cancellation of permission for apeecourses in these institutions. An earlier notice of the cause was issued by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) in Maharashtra to these colleges, in which various shortcomings are emphasized. Infrastructure gaps The primary reason for this fatty action is the widespread non-compliance of the PCI’s regulations. A detailed inspection report shows that a major problem was a lack of adequate infrastructure and safety measures. ‘Many of the colleges did not have proper fire and safety certificates and occupational certificates of competent authorities. Some institutions have submitted certificates of private agencies or local bodies, which were considered insufficient. In addition, some buildings were incomplete or shared with other courses, which do not meet the required pharmacy education standards, ‘one of the officials who were said earlier requested not to be mentioned. Inquiries sent to the Pharmacy Council of India, and the Ministry of Health remained unanswered. Lack of faculty According to the documents reviewed by Mint, several colleges also lacked faculty and staff requirements. The official quoted above said that the PCI found that many colleges did not have sufficiently qualified education and non-teaching staff, and some had no permanent principal. Several colleges have also failed to provide essential documents, including approved building plans, or land possession articles in the name of the trust running the institution. “The institutions were given the opportunity to submit compliance reports in response to the notices of the show cause, but many did not, or provide unsatisfactory explanations and documents. The director of the Maharashtra State Council for Technical Education (MSBTE) and the joint director of pharmaceutical degree institutions eventually the cancellation of the Government’s approval and the said. India has about 6,000 pharmaceutical colleges with over 97,000 faculty members and over 606,761 students. The council has registered more than 100,000 pharmacists in the country. For students, the PCI decision means that the institutions involved will not accept new admissions for the upcoming academic session, which forces aspiring students to find other colleges with proper accreditation. “This is an important step to protect the academic career of the students of institutions who do not provide a proper learning environment. The move will encourage institutions to comply with strict quality and safety standards and they must prioritize the quality of education,” the official said.
89 Maharashtra Pharmacy Colleges Staring Action About Safety, Faculty Expired
