The document summarizes the key aspects of the Pharmacy Act of 1948 in India. It established the Pharmacy Council of India to regulate the profession of pharmacy, including prescribing minimum education standards and maintaining a central register of pharmacists. The Act also provides for state pharmacy councils to register pharmacists, inspect premises, and hear cases regarding removal from the register. The overall objective was to regulate and raise the standards of pharmacy practice in India through uniform education, training and control over entry into the profession.

1. PHARMACY ACT –1948

2. CONTENTS
Introduction & History
O bjective andAmendments
Pharmacy Council of India
Registration of Pharmacist
Offences and Penalties

3. INTRODUCTION
3
 An act to regulate the ‘Profession Of Pharmacy’.
 The act was promulgated in the year 1948.
 The Pharmacy Bill, 1947, having been passed by the Legislature received
its assent on 4th March, 1948.
 It came on the Statute Book as THE PHARMACY ACT, 1948 (8 of 1948).

4. HISTORY
Great harm
to thehealth
of people
Early 20th century-
No restriction to the
practice of pharmacy
Poor quality
of service
Absence of
recognized
curriculum
4

5.  The following statement of objects and reasons i.e. pharmacy bill was published in Gaz. of
Ind.,1947, Part V
,page 469.
 "It is desirable that, as in most other countries, only persons who have attained a minimum
standard of professional education should be permitted to practice the Profession of
Pharmacy.
 It is accordingly proposed to establish a Central Council of Pharmacy, which will
prescribe the minimum standards of education, it is further proposed to empower Provincial
Governments to prohibit the dispensing of medicine on the prescription of a Medical
Practitioner otherwise than by, or under the direct and personal supervision of, a registered
pharmacists
 5 Chapters and 46 Sections
5

6. OBJECTIVE:
Regulating and raising the Status of Profession of Pharmacy in
India
Providing uniform education and training to the person willing
to enter the Profession of Pharmacy
Maintaining control over the persons entering the Profession
Pharmacy
6

7. LIST OF AMENDING ACTS AND
ADAPTATION ORDERS
7
1. TheAdaptation of Laws Order,1950.
2. TheAdaptation of Laws (No.3) Order,1956.
3. The Pharmacy (Amendment)Act, 1959 (24 of 1959).
4. The Pharmacy (Amendment)Act, 1976 (70 of 1976).
5. The Pharmacy (Amendment)Act, 1982 (22 of 1982).
6. The Delegated Legislation Provisions (Amendment)Act,
1985 (4 of 1986).
7. Pharmacy Practice (Amendment) Regulations, 2021

8. CHAPTER-I
INTRODUCTORY
1. Short title, extent and commencement:
a. This act may be called as The PharmacyAct 1948.
b.It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and
Kashmir.
c.It shall come in to force at once but chapters III,IV and V shall
take effect in a particular state from such date as the state govt.

9. CHAPTER-II
9
THE PHARMAC Y COUNCIL OF
INDIA
 The PCI was first constituted in the year 1949.
 Reconstituted for every 5 years.
 COMPOSITION:
• Elected members
• Nominated members
• Ex-officio members

10. Elected members
• Six members-
selected by
UGC among
them at least
one from
teaching
profession
• One member-
elected by MCI
• One member-
elected by State
Pharmacy
Council
Nominated
members
• Six members-
nominated by
Central govt.
• One
representative
each- UGC,
AICTE
• One registered
Pharmacist-
each state/
union territory
Ex officio
members
10
• The Director
General of
Health
Services
• The Director
of Central
Drugs
Laboratory
• The Drugs
Controller
of India

11.  The executive committee consists of
1. President
2. Vice president
3.Five members elected by Central Council from its
member’s
 Apart from this, the council also appoints
1.A registrar
2.Other officers and servants for carrying out its
statutory functions.
11

12. President- Dr. Montu M.Patel
Vice president-Prof. (Dr.) Pramod Yeole
Registrar-Mrs. Archna Mudgal

13. FUNCTIONS OF PCI:
13
Amendment
in 1991

14. EDUCA
TION REGULA
TIONS:
1. Minimum qualification for admission in to the course.
2. Duration of training and course of study to be covered.
3. Equipments and facilities to be provided by the institutions.
4. Giving practical training.
5. Holding approved examinations.
 The Educational Regulations shall be published in the
Official Gazette and in such other manner as the Central
Council may direct.
 First Education Regulations (E.R) were to be framed by
1952 and effectively implemented within 3 years of their
framing.
14

15. APPROVAL OF QUALIFICATION
GRANTED OUTSIDE INDIA:
15
1. Qualification in pharmacy granted outside India can be
recognized by PCI. This is applicable to Indian citizens.
2. Citizens of foreign nationality can be eligible for
registration when an Indian national holding the same
qualification is allowed to enter an practice in that
country.

16. APPROVAL/
W ITHDRAW AL OF INSTITUTIONS
 APPROV
AL–Procedureto befollowed for approval foran
institution providing courseof study inPharmacy:
 Application by institution toPCI
 Inspection
 Approval
 Declaration
 WITHDRAW
AL–
Noncompliancewith EducationRegulations
Noticeissued to the Institution bythe PCI.
3month window for the Institute to makeits representation.
FinalDecisionrests with thePCI.

17. CENTRAL REGISTER
17
 Under the provision of pharmacy act(1976), the PCI of
India is required to maintain a Central Register.
 The register has to:
a. Maintained by the Registrar council of India
b. Has to be revised suitably from time to time
c. Published in the gazette of India.

18. STATE PHARMACY COUNCILS
-Except where a Joint State Council is constituted in accordance with an agreement made under section
20,the State Government shall constitute a State Council consisting of the following members.
Elected members
• Six members- byregistered pharmacistof thestate
• One memberelected byMCI
Nominated members
• Five members nominated by the StateGovernment
• 4-possessing a prescribed degreeordiploma in
pharmacyor pharmaceutical chemistry
Ex-officio members
• Chief administrative Medical Officer
• Officer in charge of Drugs Control Administration of theState
• GovernmentAnalyst.
18
CHAPTER-III

19. JOINT STATE PHARMACY COUNCIL:
19
Two or more states enter into an agreement to form a joint
state pharmacy council .
Elected
members
• Registered
pharmacist- 3
to 5 from each
state
• Medical
council- 1 from
each state.
Nominated
members
• Govt. nominees-
2 to 4 from each
state.
Ex-officio
members
• Chief
Administrative
Medical Officer.
• Officer incharge
of Drugs
Control
Administration.
• Govt. analyst.

20.  The president and vice president are elected by the
members from amongst themselves.
 Period of 5 years
 Casual vacancy is filled by nomination or election
 Members are eligible for re-election
 Possess an executive committee similar to the central
government.
20

21. FUNCTIONS OF STATE COUNCIL
21
1.INSPECTION:
⚫The state council may appoint Inspectors.
⚫An inspector may
 Inspect any premises under dispensing and submit the
report to Registrar.
 Enquire whether the person engaged in dispensing is a
registered pharmacist
 Institute prosecution under the order of the Executive
Committee of the State Council.

22. Thefirst andsubsequentRegistersof Pharmacistsin aState–
Preparedand maintained by the StateGovernment.
Register of PharmacistsParticulars.
2.Maintenance of register

23. 3.ENTRY AND REMOVAL OF NAMES:
Entry:
 All applicants for the registration should be addressed to the Registrar of SPC.
 If the applicant has the requisite qualifications for registration, he shall direct his or
her name to be entered in the register.
a certificate of registration is issued.
 Upon entry,
Removal:
 Registration by error
offence in any professional aspect.
 If he has been convicted of any
 30 day period for appealing
 Surrender of certificate of registration and publication in the official gazette

24. 4.PRINTING OF REGISTER:
1st day of April subsequent to the
 It is done on the
commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1959 (24
of 1959).
24
first of April, register
 Thereafter, each year after the will
arrange for reprinting showing supplements to the registers.
 These supplements and registers are deemed to be proof
that the persons whose names are contained therein, are
registered pharmacists.

25. REGISTRATION OF PHARMACISTS
Preparation and maintenance of register
The register shall include the following particulars, namely:
full name and residential address of the registered person;
date of his first admission to the register;
(a) the
(b) the
(c) his qualifications for registration;
(d) his professional address, and if he is employed by any person, the
name of such person;
(e) such further particulars as may be prescribed.
25
CHAPTER-IV

26. Preparation of first register.-
(I) For the purpose of preparing the first register
, the State Government shall by notification in the Official
Gazette constitute a Registration Tribunal consisting of three persons,and shall also appoint a Registrar who
shall act as Secretary of the RegistrationTribunal.
(2)The State Government shall, by the same or a like notification, appoint a date on or before which
applications for registration, which shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee, shall be made to the
RegistrationTribunal.
(3)The Registration Tribunal shall examine every application received on or before the appointed date, and if
it is satisfied that the applicant is qualified for registration under section 31, shall direct the entry of the
name of the applicant on the register
.
(4)The first register so prepared shall thereafter be published in such manner as the State Government may
direct, and any person aggrieved by a decision of the Registration Tribunal expressed or implied in the
register as so published may
, within sixty days from the date of such publication, appeal to an authority
appointed by the State Government in this behalf by notification in the Official Gazette.
(5)The Registrar shall amend the register in accordance with the decisions of the authority appointed under
sub-section (4) and shall thereupon issue to every person whose name is entered in the register a
certificate of registration in the prescribed form.

27. QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENTRY IN REGISTER:
He/ She holds a degree in an Indian University other than
pharmacy and has been engaged in the compounding of drugs in
hospital or dispensary for a total period not less than 500 hours of
practical training (spanning three months) in a pharmacy.
27
⚫He/ She should hold a diploma in pharmacy or
pharmaceutical chemistry.
⚫
If the
student takes the training from a government hospital pharmacy, it
does not need to seek approval of the PCI.
passed an examination
⚫Has recognized as adequate by the State
Government for commoners or dispensers.

28. RENEWAL FEES:
⚫The state govt. by notification in the official gazette, direct that
for the retention of the name in the register.
⚫In order to retain the name in the register, renewal fee
28
shall be paid to the state government as may be
prescribed.
⚫Where a renewal fee is not paid by the due date, the Registrar
shall remove the name of the defaulter from the register.
⚫On payment of the renewal fee, the Registrar shall [issue a
receipt there for and such receipt shall be proof of renewal of
registration.]

29. Qualifications for subsequent registration.
1.entitled to have his name entered in the register if he resides or carries on the business or profession
of pharmacy in the State and if he—
(a)satisfies the conditions prescribed with the prior approval of the Central Council,or where no
conditions have been prescribed,the conditions entitling a person to have his name entered on the first
register as set out in section 31,or
(b) is a registered pharmacist in another State,or
(c) possesses a qualification approved under section 14:
Provided that no person shall be entitled '[under clause (a) or clause (c)] to have his name entered on
the register unless he has passed a matriculation examination or an examination prescribed as being
equivalent to a matriculation examination.
2.After the Education Regulations have by or under section 11 taken effect in the State,a person shall
on payment of the prescribed fee be entitled to have his name entered on the register if he has attained
the ageof [eighteen years], ifhe resides, or carries on the business or profession of pharmacy
,in the
State and if he has passed an approved examination or possesses a qualification approved under section
14 '[or is a registered pharmacist in another State.]

30. SPECIAL PROVISIONS OFTHEACT
PharmacyAct, 1959 (Amendment) –
 Pertainingto Pharmacistsaffected bythe Partitionof 1947.
 Also,the Reorganisationof Statesin1956.
 Provisionsremainedin effect for aperiod of 2years.
 StateGovernments were empoweredto extendthe period of
operation up to another 2years.

31. PharmacyAct, 1976 (Amendment)–
Provided for Registration of Pharmacists bySPC’s who:
Were eligible for Registration between the closing of the First
register and the coming into effect of the Educational
Regulations.
Approved Qualified Persons,before 31stDecember1969,
under the Drugsand CosmeticsAct, 1940 andRules.
Displaced persons from Bangladesh, after 14thApril, 1957 but
before 25th March,1971.

32. OFFENCES PENALITIES
1. Falsely claims to bea registered
pharmacist.
•Fine up to Rs.500.00 onfirst
conviction.
•Fineup to Rs.1000.00and or 6
months imprisonment of any
subsequent conviction.
2. Dispensing by anunregistered
person
•6 months of imprisonment ora fine
of up to Rs1000 orboth.
3. Failure to surrenderthe
certificate of registration
•Fine of Rs.50
4. Obstruction of statepharmacy
council inspectors
•Imprisonmentof up to 6 monthsora
fineup to Rs1000 or both.
32
CHAPTER-V

33. Definitions
“Agreement” means an agreement entered into under section 20 (inter-state agreement regarding
constitution of State Councils)
“Approved” section 12
means approved by the Central Council under (courses of study and examinations
in pharmacy) or section 14 (foreign qualification) for the purpose of qualifying for registration under the act
“Central Council” means the Pharmacy Council of India constituted under section 3
“Central Register” means the register of pharmacists maintained by the Central Council under section 15A
“Executive Committee” means the Executive Committee of the Central Council or of the State Council, as
the context may require
“Indian University” means a University within the meaning of section 3 of the University Grants
Commission Act, 1956, and includes such other institutions, being institutions established by or under a
CentralAct,as the Central Government may
,by notification in the Official Gazette,specify in this behalf
“Register” means a register of pharmacists prepared and maintained under Chapter IV
“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
“State Council” section 19,
means a State Council of Pharmacy constituted under and includes a J
oint State
Council of Pharmacy constituted in accordance with an agreement under section 20;
“University Grants Commission” means the University Grants Commission established under section 4 of
the University Grants CommissionAct,1956 (3 of 1956).]

34.  The pharmacy act was commenced in 1948 underAct8.
 Pharmacy act provided the Profession of Pharmacy in India
with framework.
 It regulates and raises the status of the Profession of
Pharmacy.
 It recognizes the qualification granted outside India and extends
the PharmacyAct.
 It helped the govt. to obtain some control over the
professionals engaged in this field.
34