The Pharmacy Act of 1948 aims to regulate the profession of pharmacy in India. It established the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) and State Pharmacy Councils (SPC) to oversee pharmacy education and registration of pharmacists. The PCI frames regulations for pharmacy education, approves courses and institutions, and maintains the central register of pharmacists. SPCs prepare and maintain state registers. The Act also defines qualifications for registration as a pharmacist and penalties for offenses like practicing pharmacy without registration.

1. THE PHARMACY ACT 1948

2. INTRODUCTION
 Pharmacy act governs the practice of pharmacy in India. Making rights
medicaments available to the public is the primary obligation of pharmacy in
order to safeguard the public health.
 Prior to the enactment of pharmacy Act, 1948, there was practically no
restriction on entry of person into the profession of pharmacy. Anybody who
could read a prescription could become a pharmacist.
Act passed 1948
Came into force 4th march, 1948
Amendment 1959, 1976, 1981

3. OBJECTIVES
1. Raising the state of profession of pharmacy India with two objects:
 To provide uniform education and training for the prospective pharmacist.
 To maintain control over the person entry the profession of pharmacy by
providing for their registration in every state.
2. To ensure education and training, this act provides for the constitution of
pharmacy council of India.
 Framing the course
 Approving the institution
3. For registration of pharmacist in the various state, the act provides the
constitution of state pharmacy council.
 Maintenance of register of pharmacist
 Control over practicing pharmacist

4. CHAPTER AND SECTION
Chapter=5 Section=46
Chapter I Introduction (1-2)
Chapter II PCI (section (3-18)
Chapter III SPC (19-28)
Chapter IV Penalty and other (41-46)
Chapter V Penalty and other (41-46)
Section 3 Central council constituted
Section 12 Course of study
Section 14 Foreign qualification
Section 15 Central register
Section 19 State council constituted
Section 20 Interstate agreement

5. DEFINATION
 AGREEMENT- Means entered into under section 20 inter-state agreement
regarding constitution of state council.
 APPROVAL- Approval by state council under section 12 (course of study
and examination in pharmacy) or section 14 (foreign qualification) for
qualifying for registration.
 CENTRAL COUNCIL- Means the pharmacy council of India constituted
under section 3.
 CENTRAL REGISTER- Means the register of pharmacist maintained by
central council under ( section 15A).
 REGISTER- Means register of pharmacist prepared and maintain by this
act.
 REGISTERED PHARMACIST- Means a person whose name is entered
in the register.
 STATE COUNCIL- Means a state council of pharmacy constituted under
section 19.
 UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION- It means the University
Grants commission established under section 4 of the university Grants
commission Act, 1956.

6.  REGISTERED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS- Person holding qualification granted
by an authority specified or notified under section 3 of the Indian Medical degrees Act,
1916 or as may be specified in the Schedules to the Indian medical Council Act, 1956.

7. EDUCATION REGULATION (1991)
 It repeal the 1981 of education regulation.
 As per the Section 10 of the Pharmacy Act 1948, PCI also makes regulation called
education regulation with approval of central government.
 First education regulation are approved by the Ministry of Health and family Welfare
was notified on 11th July 1953.
FIRST
ER
SECOND
ER
THIRD
ER
FOURTH
ER
1953 1972 1981 1991

8. 1. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION: A person who has attain the age 18 year.
2. DURATION OF TRAINING:
 Not less than 250 hour for are devoted to actual dispensing of prescription in
recognized hospital/dispensary or pharmacy.
 Not less than 500 hour the nature and period of practical training.
3. STANDARD EXAMINATION:
 Approval to the course of study and standard examination held by central council.
 The equipment and facilities to be provided for student.
4. APPROVAL OF COURSE OF STUDY AND EXAMINATION:
 Any institute in India conducting a course of study for pharmacist apply to central
council and section deal with approval of course of study and examination under
section 12 (1) approval will be granted only if the central council is satisfy.
 Student will be entitled to be examined under section 12 (2).
 Pharmacy education also comes under technical education so the AICTE also evaluate
through expert committee.
 Sign memorandum of understanding (MOU) between AICTE and central council for
approval under section 20.
5. WITHDRAWAL OF APPROVAL:
 Executive committee report to the central council and withdraw the approval within 3
months from the notice.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EDUCATION REGULATION TO THE STATE:
After constitute of pharmacy council in the state, the state govt. in constitution with the
respect council declare the education regulation shall take effect in their respective state.

9.  The central council (PCI) is constituent by the central government.
 Central council (PCI) constituted in 1949.
 Reconstituted in every 5 year.
 The president and vice president are nominated by its member.
 If the nominated member and elected member remain constant absent in 3 consecutive
meeting of the central council. They have vacant seat.
 Elected and nominated member can resign by written by own hand writing to give
president.
PHARMACY COUNCIL OF INDIA

10. MEMBERS OF PCI
Elected member:
(Total= 8)
Nominated member:
(Total=9)
Ex-officio member:
(Total=3)
6 member: Six member
including at least four
member are teacher are
elected by UGC.
6 member: Six member
including at least four
person possessing degree
or diploma in pharmacy.
(a) The Director general
of health service
1 member: One member
elected by medical
council of India.
2 member: One from
UGC and one from
AICTE
(b) The Director of central
drugs laboratory
1 member: One member
shall be pharmacist to
represent each state
elected by each state.
1 member: One registered
pharmacist to represent
each state nominated by
state govt./Union territory
(c) The Drugs controller
of India

11. ROLE OF CENTRAL COUNCIL:
1. Education regulation
2. The Equipment and facilities to be provided for student.
3. Approval to the course of study and examination
4. Withdrawal of approval
5. Central council shall appoint registrar who shall act as secretary to the council and if need
as its treasure too.
6. Central council constitute executive committee consist president and vice president and
other 5 member elected by central council from among its member.
7. Rules are made by central govt. and regulation by state govt.

12. STATE PHARMACY COUNCIL:
 State pharmacy council and joint state council are also constitute under this act by the state
govt.
 Two or more state may however agree to have agree to have a joint council for definite or
indefinite period of time.
 The president and vice president of state council are elected by the members from amongst
themselves.
 The council may appoint a registrar and such other officer and staff as may be qualified.
 Duration of each council is 5 year.

13. MEMBERS OF STATE PHARMACY COUNCIL:
Member State Pharmacy council Joint State Pharmacy
council
Elected member
(Total=7)
Six registered pharmacist elected
from amongst them.
One member elected by amongst
themselves by the member of
medical council of state
3-5 registered pharmacist
of each participating state
elected from amongst
themselves.
One member elected by
medical council of the
each state from amongst its
member.
Nominated member
(Total=5)
Five member of whom at least 3
member shall be possess degree
or diploma nominated by state
govt.
2-4 member nominated by
each participating sate of
whom more than half shall
be possessing degree or
diploma.
Ex-officio member
(Total=3)
Chief administrative medical officer of the state
Officer-in-charge of drug and cosmetic act
Govt. analyst under the drug and cosmetic act

14. ROLE OF STATE PHARMACY COUNCIL:
1. Preparation and maintenance of register: State Pharmacy Council of each state shall
prepare and maintain the register of pharmacist as per the provisions of the Pharmacy Act,
1948.
2. Entry and removal of name from register: Registrar of each State Council shall enter
the names of such persons qualified by Registration Tribunal appointed by State Council.
Under certain circumstances State Pharmacy Council may remove the name of registered
pharmacist from the register.
REGISTRATION OF PHARMACIST:
 Name of the registered pharmacist are entered in the registers maintained by the state
council and central council.
Following points include-
• Full name and residual address
•Date of the first admission
• Qualification for registration
• Professional address
• Other

15. Allowed to enter the practice of pharmacy
Person having qualification handling storage
compounding and dispensing etc. of the drug
Name of registered pharmacist are entered in the register
maintained by state and central council
1. FIRST REGISTER:
 State govt. are constitute a registration tribunal who is responsible for the
preparation and maintenance of the first register in each state.
 Tribunal consist of 3 person and registrar also appoint who act as its secretory.
 First register are published by state govt.

16. Qualification for entry of first register:
A person who has attain the age 18 year:
(a) Hold degree or diploma in pharmacy or pharmaceutical chemistry or a chemist or a
druggist of an Indian university or a state govt.
(b) Hold a degree of Indian university other than a degree or diploma in pharmacy or
pharmaceutical chemistry and has been engaged in compounding of drug in a
hospital or dispensary or other place which drugs are regularly dispensed for total of
not less than 3 years.
(c) Has passed an examination recognized an adequate by the state govt. for compound
or dispensers.
(d) Has engaged in the compounding of drug in a hospital or dispensary or other place in
which drug are regularly dispensed or prescription of medical practitioners.
(e) Has not less than 5 year experience of compounding and dispensing in hospital or
dispensing.

17. 2. SUBSEQUENT REGISTER:
 After the preparation of the first register and before the education regulation have taken
effect in a state, a person desirous of having his name registered in the subsequent register.
 Satisfy the condition prescribed and approved by central govt.
(a) It should be 18 year of age
(b) It should have paid the prescription fee.
(c) It should be a resident of the state or should carry out his business or profession of
pharmacy in the state.
(d) It should fulfill the following requirements.
• Requirements prescribed for the registration
• It is a registered pharmacist in the state.
• Possess qualification for the registration

18. CENTRAL REGISTRAR OF PHARMACIST:
INSPECTION BY STATE COUNCIL:
• Central council is required to maintain a register of pharmacist known as central register.
• State govt. appoint suitable number of inspector having prescribed qualification to inspect
premises where drug are dispensed and compound.
REGISTRATION AFTER FORMATION OF STATE PHARMACY
COUNCIL:
• Registrar is of the opinion that the applicant has got the required qualification for the
registration he may direct his or her name to be entered in the register.
• Person whose application for registration has been rejected by the registrar may appeal to
the state council within 3 month rejection
• The decision of state council shall be final.

19. REGISTRATION OF PHARMACIST:
After entry of name of a person in register
Register or issue him a certificate of registration (renewal annually)
Registration is valid up to 31st December of the year of registration but can be
renewed on payment of prescribed annual fees

20. REMOVAL OF NAMES FROM REGISTER:
The executive committee of the state council may order that a name of register pharmacist
shall be removed from register.
(i) If name has been entered in the register by error or on account or misrepresentation or
suppression of material fact.
(ii) If has been convinced of an offence in any profession respect.
(iii) If a person employed to work under him in connection with any business of pharmacy
has been convicted of any such offence or has been found guilty of any such infamous
conduct, such that if he was registered pharmacist itself his name would have been
removed from register.
PRINTING OF REGISTER- printing of register after 1st April by registrar of state council.
RESTORATION TO REGISTER:
The state council may at any time, for reasons appearing sufficient to it, order that upon
payment of the prescribed fee the name of a person removed from the register be restored
thereto. Provided that where an appeal against such order has been rejected by the State
Government, an order for restoration of the name shall not take effect until it has been
confirmed by the State Government. No order refusing to enter a name on the register or
removing a name from the register can be challenged in any court.
If the registrar is satisfied that a certificate of registration has been lost or damaged, he may
issue a duplicate on payment of the prescribed fee.

21. OFFENCE AND PENALTIES:
Sr.No. OFFENCE PENALTIES
First conviction Second conviction
1. Falsely claiming to be
registered pharmacist
Rs. 500/- Rs. 1000/6 month
2. Dispensing by unregistered
person
Rs. 1000/6 month -
3. Failing to surrender
certificate of registration
Rs. 50/ -
4. For obstructing state
pharmacy council inspector
Rs. 1000/6 month -