Diploma In Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022

[24 February 2022]

No. 14-285/2021-PCI.-In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 10 and 18 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 (8 of 1948), the Pharmacy Council of India, with the approval of the Central Government, hereby makes the following regulations, namely

Regulation - 1. Short title and commencement :-

(i)      These regulations may be called the "Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination Regulations, 2022".

(ii)     They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

Regulation - 2. Definitions :-

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -

(a)     Act means the Pharmacy Act, 1948 (8 of 1948);

(b)     "Certificate of eligibility for enrolment and practice" means a certificate issued by the prescribed authority to a candidate who has passed exit examination;

(c)     PCI means the Pharmacy Council of India established under section 3 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948;

(d)     "State Pharmacy Council" means the State Council constituted by the State Government under section 19 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948;

(e)     "Approved" means approved by the Pharmacy Council of India under section 12 or section 14 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948;

(f)      Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination means an examination held by the prescribed authority to declare a Diploma in Pharmacy holder eligible for enrolment and practice as a registered pharmacist;

(g)     "Examining Authority"- means a statutory Indian University or a body constituted by the Central or State Government and shall be approved by the Pharmacy Council of India u/s 12(2) of the Pharmacy Act, 1948;

(h)     "Pharmacy Register" - means a register of pharmacists prepared and maintained by the State Pharmacy Council under Chapter IV of the Pharmacy Act, 1948;

(i)      "Prescribed Authority" means an authority established by the PCI for the purpose of conducting exit examination for Diploma in Pharmacy holders and includes an authority which may be designated so by the PCI;

(j)      "Registered Pharmacist" means a person whose name is for the time being entered in the register of the State in which he is for the time being residing or carrying on his profession or business of pharmacy.

Regulation - 3. Objective :-

The objective of the Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination (DPEE) is to ensure that a candidate applying for registration as pharmacist with the State Pharmacy Council has undergone pharmacy education and a comprehensive practical training programme in Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm) course as provided in the Education Regulations, 2020 or the regulations that may be in force from time to time in an institution approved by Pharmacy Council of India under section 12 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 and acquired core competencies in dispensing of medicines and other areas of pharmacy practice and to reinforce his discipline, integrity, judgement, skills, knowledge and quest for learning so that after having passed the examination he is able to become a registered pharmacist who is able to exercise his professional skills in addition to carrying his duty and responsibilities professionally.

Regulation - 4. Frequency :-

The details regarding the scheme for conducting the Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination and the syllabus of the test shall be announced by the Pharmacy Council of India from time to time for the information of the candidates. The candidates may appear for the exit examination conducted twice every year or as frequently as may be required as per the schedule of examination announced by the Prescribed Authority. The procedure of conducting the test shall be in accordance with the scheme announced by the Pharmacy Council of India in this regard. The date of examination and the examination centre will be allotted to the candidate by the Prescribed Authority based on the availability of the examination centres.

Regulation - 5. Registration as a Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination candidate :-

(a)     No person shall be registered as a Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination candidate unless he has passed Diploma in Pharmacy course from an institution approved by the Pharmacy Council of India under section 12 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948.

(b)     He shall be required to make an application in a prescribed form together with all relevant documents showing the proof of his passing the approved examination and the examination fee as may be prescribed by the PCI.

Regulation - 6. Procedure of conducting Exit Examination :-

(a)     The PCI may, for the purposes of conducting exit examination, establish an authority to be known as the Prescribed Authority or designate an authority as the Prescribed Authority that shall conduct the examinations as may be decided by the PCI from time-to-time.

(b)     There shall be three papers of multiple choice questions in Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Hospital and Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence and Drug Store Management. The language of the examination shall be english. The test for each paper shall be of three hours duration.

(c)     A candidate shall be declared as having passed only, if he obtains a minimum of 50% marks in each paper separately.

(d)     A candidate shall have to pass all the three papers in the same attempt. However, there shall be no restriction on the number of attempts to appear in the examination.

(e)     A certificate of eligibility for enrolment and practice shall be issued to the successful candidate which will be presented before the State Pharmacy Council for registration as a pharmacist.

Regulation - 7. Registration of the candidate as pharmacist after passing Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination :-

After having passed the Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination, a candidate shall be entitled to registration as a pharmacist subject to fulfilment of the conditions enumerated in section 32(2) of the Pharmacy Act, 1948. The applications for registration shall be addressed to the Registrar of the State Pharmacy Council and shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee and the documents as referred to in section 46(2)(g) of the Act. After coming into force of these regulations, the candidates who have completed the approved course of Diploma in Pharmacy and having qualified in the Diploma in Pharmacy Exit Examination only will be eligible for registration as pharmacists under section 33 of the Pharmacy Act 1948.

Regulation - 8. :-

These regulation shall not apply to the persons whose names are already entered in the register of pharmacists for the state.