The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA)

Society Regn No. Born. 10 of 1960 GBBSD Public Trust Regn. No. F- 746 (Born) dt. 4.4.1960
Kalina, Santacruz (East), Mumbai - 400 098. India Tel.: +9122 2667 1072 Telefax : +9122 2667 0744
E-mail :ipacentre@ipapharma.org Website : http://www.ipapharma.org
MISSION

The Indian PharmaceuticalAssociation QPA) is the national professional body of pharmacists engaged in various facets of the profession of pharmacy.
The IPA is commited to promote the highest professional and ethical standards of pharmacy, focus the image of pharmacists as competent healthcare
professionals, sensitize the community, government and others on vital professional issues and support pharmaceutical education and sciences in all aspects

Ref No IPA/110/66

20161016

To

President

Ms. Meena Agarwal,

Secretary,
Seventh Central Pay Commission,
P.O. Box No. 4599,
Mauz Khas, P.O.
New Delhi-110016
e-mail: secy-7cpc@nic.in

Rao V. S. V. Vadlarnudi

Immediate
Past President
J. A.

S. Giri

Vice Presidents
Divisional Heads
Community Phannacy
Manjiri Gharat
Education
T. V. Narayana
Hospital Pharmacy
Ramesh Adepu

Date: 26th May 2014

Subject: Request to 7th CPC to revise Pharmacists pay structure and cadres in
Government services

Dear Madam,

Industrial Pharmacy
Subhash Rijhwani
RegulatoryAffairs
Subhash Mandal

Hon. Gen. Secretary

Kaushik Desai

Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) is the premier professional association of

pharmacists in India, with a member base of over 10,000 spread across the length and
breadth of the nation. IPA operates in India through 17 state branches and more than 33

Hon. Treasurer
Surendra Manek

- Pharma T~~~
Alka Mukne

local branches. The members represent various facets of pharmaceutical profession viz.
industry, regulatory, community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy andpharmacy education.
IPA is also actively associated in managing several academic programmes. As a member of

Editor UPS
Divakar Goli

Drug Technical Advisory Board, India, IPA is actively involved in advising the government

Secretary General

on matters of professional importance.

S. D. Joag

IPA is affiliated with international pharmaceutical associations like FIP, FAPA, CPA, AAPS,
AAiPS, IPSF and WHO, for carrying out various collaborative professional activities, which
include organizing training programmes for professionals from industry, academics,
regulatory and pharmacy practice. IPA also makes representations t o the authorities on
matters of professional interest and works constantly towards upgrading the standards of
professional services offered by the pharmacists.

M e m b e r o f Federation International Pharmaceutique (FIP), Federation o f Asian Pharmaceutical Association (FAPA),

Commonwealth Pharmacists' Association (CPA) & International Pharmacy Students' Federation (IPSF)

Continuation sheet

We, at the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) wish to bring your attention certain facts
about

the

anomalies

in

the

pay

structure

and

cadres

of

pharmacists

in

dispensaries/hospitaIs in various central public sector departments such as the Railways, the
CGHS, GMS, SAIL,ONGC, CPWD etc.The pay structures and designations of pharmacists vary
from department to department though they are having the same qualification and
performing duties as Pharmacists. It is felt that the present anomaly in designation and pay
structure of the pharmacists are due to recommendation of the 6th Pay Commission for
individual departments. Moreover, the 6th Pay Commission has not rectified the anomalies,
which were prevailing in the individual departments.
Who is a Pharmacist?
A Pharmacist is the most easily accessible healthcare professional, who is a vital member of

the healthcare team and is entrusted with multiple responsibilities ranging from inventory
control to dispensing medicines to patient care. Pharmacists make important decisions in
the selection of drugs, managing inventories, dispensing the right medications, providing
instructions and counseling to patients about their illness and medications, and promote
rational use of medicines. In Railway health posts pharmacists in addition perform all
nursing duties. In many states, allopathic doctor,Pharmacist and group D employee (ward
boy) work in 24-hour emergency team and in VVlP ambulance duty.No nurse or other
paramedical person is a part of it. By playing these versatile roles, pharmacists can not only
minimize unnecessary health care expenditures to the exchequer, but also contribute
significantly to public health.
One of the following qualifications and duration of studies is needed for one to be a
Registered Pharmacist and practice pharmacy in our country:
Qualifications

Duration of study Duration

of Total No, of years

after 10 + 2

training

of study + training

1 Diploma in Pharmacy

2 years

3 months

14.25 years

Bachelor of Pharmacy

4 years

1month

16 years

Pharm.D.

5 years

1 year

Hospital 18 years

Internship

Continuation sheet

In spite of playing important and versatile roles in the healthcare system, unfortunately, in
various departments in the government, other lower qualifications and some non-technical
positions have been given higher pay scales than the pharmacists, which has de-motivated
and demoralized the pharmacists. For example:
Course

Entry

Diploma in 10+2

Duration

2 yrs.

Pharmacy

Training

Total

Registration Pay Scales

Duration

required

14.25 yrs.

Pharmacy

Rs.

council

20200+

months

5200-

GPRs. 2800
Diploma

10

3 yrs.

Nil

13 yrs.

Nil

Engineering

Rs

9300-

34800

GP

Rs. 4200

In order to derive maximum benefits of having pharmacists, it is important to appoint and

retain talented professionals to meet the healthcare objectives. One of the best ways to
have talented pharmacists in any organization is by offering respectable pay scales and good
promotional policies.
We therefore recommend that the pay scalesof the pharmacist be made equivalent to
nursesand other technical persons like junior engineers. We would also like to state that
only doctors,nurses and pharmacists are governed by statutory provision (act)in the entire
medical and health team.
Recommendation before 7thCPC:
Thus we request you to;
1)Abolish any lower grade pay (such as in many departments it is still Rs. 2800) all across

central Government services.

Revise the pay structure of Pharmacists, starting from a Pay Band of Rs.9300
starting grade pay of Rs. 4200for entry-level pharmacist position.

- 34800, and

Continuafion sheef

2) Create supervisory postsand posts of clinical pharmacists and thus create lucrative

promotional

avenuesand

make

uniform

cadres

for

pharmacists

across

all

departments.Posts such as Senior Pharmacist, ChiefPharmacist,Pharmacy Officer, Deputy

Director (Pharmacy) need to be created

and accordingly the Grade Pay needs to be

increased.Certain percentage of these promotional posts may be filled by B.Pharm. qualified

Pharmacists with some experience in Pharmacy Practice.

We would like t o propose the following pay structure for Pharmacists:

Designation

Proposed Pay ScaleIGrade pay

Pharmacist(Entry Grade)

Rs. 9300-34800

Grade pay Rs.42001-

Pharmacist(after 02 years

Rs. 9300-34800

service)

Grade pay Rs.4600/-

Chief Pharmacist

Rs.15600-39100
Grade pay Rs.5400/-

Officer-In-Charge (Pharmacy)

Rs.15600-39100
Grade pay Rs.66001-

Special Executive Officer

Rs.15600-39100

(Pharmacy)

Grade pay Rs.66001-

Deputy Director (Pharmacy)

Rs.15600-39100
Grade pay Rs.76001-

3) Create Hospital Pharmacy Department: Implement NHRCs recommendation by creating

a Hospital Pharmacy Department in all Hospitals under the supervision of a Postgraduate in

Pharmacy. This Pharmacist will directly report to the Superintendent of the Hospital.
Postgraduate in pharmacy (M.Pharm) undergoes 12 plus 6 years of education (total 18
years)

Continuation sheet

4) Create Clinical Pharmacy Services in Hospitals: Clinical Pharmacy services should be

created under Pharm. D. degree holders, to benefit patients through rational medicine use,
reduce adverse reactions and medication errors, and thus reduce cost of therapy, and
improve quality of life of patients. These Pharmacists will directly report to the .
Superintendent of the Hospital. A Pharm.D candidate undergoes 12 plus 6 years of
education (18 years)

5 ) Joint Director Pharmacy Services: Post of the Joint Director(Pharmacy Services& Training)

should be created in the Directorate General of Health Services,Govt. of India, as

recommended by the NHRC, as the post of the Nursing Advisor already exists in above
office & all the files of nursing cadre move through her.

Graduate Pharmacists:

Entry to the B. Pharm and B.Es is 10 + 2 with science, the course duration of B, Pharm and
B.Es is same (4 years) and both are regulated by the All India Council for Technical Education
(AICTE). Moreover B.Pharm course isalso regulated by the Pharmacy Council of India.

Therefore, B.Pharms working in the different depts. of Central Govt. like- CDSCO, Testing
Laboratories etc. should be provided with the same pay scales and promotional avenues
that are available to B.Es.

We urge the Pay Commission to have a complete overview of the pharmacists' situation
under different departments as well as in different states, and revise the pay structure and
bring uniformity in the cadre. Pay scales granted to the Pharmacists by Uttarakhand govt.
may be taken as an example for 7thCPC. Hathi committee 1975 recommendations also need
to be revisited in this context.

We urge you again kindly consider our views and give us an opportunity to present our
views before you in person.

Continuation sheet

As a professional association working at national and international level, we will be happy

and honored to extend any additional help in this regard.
Thanking you,

Secretary General, IPA