Mushrooming of clinical research units has inspired the college managements to set up pharmacy colleges across the country.  The situation is no different in the State as more number of colleges are seeking approval to start the course and requesting for increase in intake for M Pharm course.

This year, 8 colleges have applied to All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) seeking approval to start the college, of which, only 1 has been approved so far  “We pay a visit to the colleges, when they are ready for the inspection. After the inspection, report will be sent to head office in Delhi," AICTE official said, adding that the remaining colleges are yet to communicate to them about the inspection.

Increase
According to the official, the number of managements seeking approval to start new colleges has increased in the last two years. The colleges approved in 2005-06 is eight and in 2006-07 five colleges were sanctioned. “The colleges which satisfy all the norms of the AICTE will be approved,” the official added.

Besides, receiving applications to start new colleges, AICTE is also witnessing increase in applications requesting to increase intake for M Pharm courses.

There are 70 pharmacy colleges in the State, of these, around 40 per cent of them have written to AICTE to increase the intake for courses in M pharm including  Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics. The minimum intake for the M Pharm course is eight and the maximum is 25. The intake for B Pharm course is 60.

The reason for sudden demand for M Pharm courses, as pointed out by the college principals is wide scope in Research and Development (R&D) sector besides teaching. “There are many pharmacy colleges in neighbouring states including Andhra Pradesh, which offers only B Pharm course. So, students are left with no option but to check out the colleges which offer M Pharm. Apart from this, colleges especially in neighbouring states have acute shortage of teachers as there are not many candidates with M Pharm degree, which is the main qualification to become a lecturer,” Principal of Al-Ameen Pharmacy College Prof P G Shivananda said. He added that a lecturer can get a salary between Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000.

He said that there has been no takers only for government quota but the colleges are able to fill up students under management quota.