The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has issued a strict directive to eliminate institutional irregularities following widespread allegations of colleges submitting fake staff documents, listing ghost faculty members, or retaining the names of professors who resigned. To enforce transparency, the apex regulatory body has introduced tighter compliance guidelines for all colleges, including those in Gujarat.
New compliance mandates for colleges
Under the new mandates, colleges must purge the names of faculty members who have resigned or left the institute from the official PCI portal during designated windows in March and September. Additionally, institutions must immediately deactivate these faculty members from the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) portal.
Strict prohibitions and penalties
The council emphasised that uploading or utilising data of faculty members without formal appointment letters, valid documentation, and explicit written consent is strictly prohibited. Any violation, including inaccurate data entry, failing to officially relieve staff, or unauthorised credential use, will be treated as a severe offence.
Warning of strict legal and penal action under the Pharmacy Act of 1948, the PCI stated that the institutional head or principal will be held directly accountable for data discrepancies. The directive aims to curb malpractices such as retaining names of resigned faculty to meet regulatory requirements, thereby ensuring that only genuine, active staff are recorded.
Colleges across India, including those in Gujarat, have been put on notice. The PCI has instructed all institutions to conduct internal audits and submit compliance reports. This move is expected to significantly improve transparency and accountability in pharmacy education, safeguarding the interests of students and the profession.
