5,000 Pharmacist Workplaces: Anbumani Ramadas Report
Government orders have been issued for the contractual appointment of 4,624 paramedics, including 1,235 Pharmacists, in Government Hospitals in Tamil Nadu. The selection notice will be issued in the next few days. There is an expectation among them that graduates who have completed B.Pharm this time will be given the job of a pharmacist, ‘said Anbumani Ramadas in a statement. In addition, there are about 5,000 pharmacist posts in Government Medical College Hospitals, District Hospitals, Circuit Hospitals, and Primary Health Centers in Tamil Nadu. Graduates (B.Pharm) and Diploma (D.Pharm) in Pharmacy are eligible for this job. Those who have studied B.Pharm will have more knowledge about medicines than those who have studied D.Pharm.
However, in Tamil Nadu till today those who have studied B.Pharm are being denied the job of pharmacist in government medical institutions. The reason given by the government for this is unacceptable. `Those who have completed B.Pharm do not need to be employed as pharmacists as there are more employment opportunities in government and private companies; The government says that only those who have completed D.Pharm should be given this job as there are no other jobs.
It is baseless and immoral. If the basic qualification for the job of a pharmacist is D.Pharm, then the pharmacist job should be given to everyone who has studied D.Pharm and beyond. That is natural justice. Although a diploma is a basic qualification for some engineering jobs in various departments of the Government of Tamil Nadu, engineering graduates are also allowed to compete. Graduates are eligible for Class X qualifying posts and those with higher educational qualifications are eligible to pursue the degree with basic qualifications. On that basis, B.Pharm graduates should also be given the opportunity to work as pharmacists. Those who have completed B.Pharm in Tamil Nadu Government Departments can only go for the post of Drug Inspector. The total number of these works in the Government of Tamil Nadu is 140. It is a great social injustice that B.Pharm graduates with such low employment should not go for pharmacist jobs. The purpose of D.Pharm qualification for the post of Pharmacist is not to deny employment to B.Pharm graduates.
On the contrary, since there was only a D.Pharm course in 1963-65, it was the basic qualification for the job of a pharmacist. The B.Pharm course was introduced in Tamil Nadu in 1975. Following that, the reason for all the problems is that the rules have not been changed so that those who have studied B.Pharm can also become a pharmacist. The Chennai High Court in 2019 gave an interim judgment in favor of the plaintiffs in a case seeking to allow B.Pharm graduates to work as well. Accordingly, applications were also received from B.Pharm graduates for the competitive examination for the post of Pharmacist to be held that year. However, the selection for the pharmacist job to be held in 2019 has not been conducted till now due to various reasons.
In that case, which is still pending, should only those with a D.Pharm be allowed to work as a pharmacist? Only B.Pharm graduates allowed? Or allow both sides? Chennai High Court has ordered the Tamil Nadu government to take a decision on the matter. The interests of both D.Pharm graduates and B.Pharm graduates should be protected in the appointment of a pharmacist.
In view of this, the government should prepare and implement a new plan so that both parties can apply for the job of pharmacist and be appointed on the basis of merit.
