Over 5000 pharmacy students in Assam have taken to the streets in protest against the Assam Pharmacy Council (APC), which has withheld registration certificates, putting their careers in jeopardy despite meeting all necessary criteria.
A protesting student explained, "We completed a two-year academic course and three months of mandatory hospital training. We submitted our applications to the Assam Pharmacy Council (APC) almost a year ago, including all required documents and a fee of Rs 6,000."
"Despite fulfilling all requirements, the APC registrar has denied us registration for a year, which violates our basic rights under The Pharmacy Act, 1948," the student added.
In response, the APC registrar stated, "The Gauhati High Court instructed us to issue provisional registrations to all students. However, provisional registration isn't mentioned in The Pharmacy Act, 1948. We have moved to the High Court and are awaiting further orders to commence the registration process."
Initially, the APC attributed the delay to the absence of a registrar. Following the appointment of a registrar, the Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS) imposed an exit examination for students from non-affiliated institutes, a mandate later overturned by the Gauhati High Court.
The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) issued a notice on April 15, clarifying that SSUHS lacked the authority to conduct exit exams, reserving this right for the PCI, which would conduct such exams for the 2022-2023 session. Students from the 2020-2021 session were exempted from this requirement. However, the APC registrar insisted on an official directive from the PCI or the Assam government before issuing registrations.
"This refusal to grant registration prevents us from applying for government jobs or hospital positions, opening pharmacies, and renders our degrees useless for employment," a student lamented.
Manash Kumar Das, a professor at GMCH, expressed concern for the students' future, emphasizing their dedication and hard work. He called for immediate government intervention to resolve the issue.
The president of the Assam Registered Pharmacists' Union (ARPU) also urged swift action, stating, "Graduates from government medical institutes should receive their registration certificates promptly. I request Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma to address this matter urgently. The registrar must begin issuing registrations immediately, as that is his responsibility."