The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has made Aadhaar-based biometric attendance compulsory for postgraduate pharmacy students, extending a system that was already mandatory for faculty members in pharmacy colleges.
The move is aimed at bringing greater transparency in scholarship distribution and preventing misuse of government funds.
According to official information, students qualifying the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) are eligible for admission to postgraduate pharmacy courses and receive a monthly scholarship of around Rs 12,000 from the central government.
To ensure that only genuine students attending classes receive the scholarship benefits, the PCI has directed all approved pharmacy colleges to implement Aadhaar-based biometric attendance for students enrolled under the Prime Minister’s scholarship scheme.
The council has issued a circular instructing colleges to regularly monitor attendance and verify the authenticity of scholarship beneficiaries through the biometric system.
Earlier, the biometric attendance system had been made compulsory for teaching staff in pharmacy institutions.
Under the new guidelines, students must complete registration on the National Attendance Portal after their admission is confirmed through the college portal.
PCI has instructed all recognised pharmacy colleges to make the Aadhaar-based attendance system fully operational for MPharm students by May 31.
Officials believe the system will improve accountability, strengthen monitoring and ensure government scholarships reach deserving students without discrepancies.