Around 12,070 students across Gujarat enrolled in degree, diploma, and master’s pharmacy programs are staring at significant academic delays, with the new term unlikely to begin before September. The setback stems from pending approvals for 87 pharmacy colleges amidst a widening controversy involving the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).
Out of 153 pharmacy institutes in the state, 64 degree colleges and 23 diploma colleges are still awaiting PCI approval. As a result, the Admission Committee for Professional Courses (ACPC) estimates that the admission process will only be completed by the end of August, pushing the academic term’s start to September—almost 1.5 months later than the original July 29 schedule.
Despite the admission schedule being announced, officials say the process cannot move beyond the mock rounds until pending approvals are cleared. The mock admission round for pharmacy courses is scheduled between July 10 and July 15, but actual admissions remain on hold.
“Due to the delay in approvals, the original plan of launching the academic session from July 29 is no longer feasible,” an official said. While approvals have been granted for 12 new colleges—9 degree and 3 diploma—the delay in renewing permissions for existing institutions remains a bottleneck. ACPC Member Secretary Nilay Bhuptani warned that students will bear the brunt of the PCI’s inaction.
Common Academic Calendar Disrupted
Mahesh Chhabria, Principal of LM College of Pharmacy, highlighted the broader impact: “The Gujarat education department’s plan for a common academic calendar will be derailed. The first-year term must have 90 academic days. If we start in September, we’ll need to cut Diwali and summer breaks short to meet the requirement.”
Chhabria also noted that prolonged uncertainty is pushing prospective pharmacy students toward other disciplines, weakening enrolment in pharmacy programs.
Ripple Effect on Science Colleges
The delay has led many students to seek provisional admission in BSc and related programs, whose academic sessions have already begun. However, officials from science colleges say these students are likely to withdraw once pharmacy admissions resume, creating a disruptive cycle and further challenging science institutes already struggling with low enrolment.
ED May Probe PCI President Amid Corruption Allegations
The crisis has also taken a legal turn. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is expected to join an ongoing probe into alleged corruption by PCI President Dr. Montu M Patel. Although the ED has yet to issue an official statement, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already filed an FIR and conducted raids on two of Patel’s properties in Ahmedabad.
Dr. Patel stands accused of large-scale corruption, including granting approvals to pharmacy colleges with inadequate infrastructure and ghost faculty. The CBI FIR alleges a broader scam involving a syndicate operating within the Union Health Ministry, where eight officials reportedly leaked sensitive documents to agents and college representatives in exchange for hefty bribes.
As investigations unfold, students, colleges, and academic planners across Gujarat remain caught in the uncertainty of an admission crisis that shows no immediate resolution.