Accreditations in Pharmacy Education: Striving for Quality or Creating Redundancy?

IPharmacy education in India is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by an increasing emphasis on quality assurance and accountability. The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), the apex regulatory body overseeing pharmacy education, has long played a pivotal role in defining academic standards and professional conduct. While pharmacy institutes function under the affiliation of universities, they are now increasingly subjected to multiple layers of quality assessment from various regulatory bodies.

Agencies such as the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) have played a crucial role in evaluating institutional performance, infrastructure, faculty credentials, student outcomes, and research quality. While these assessments differ in methodology, they share a common goal to ensure that pharmacy institutions meet the evolving demands of healthcare education.

Adding to this growing list, the PCI has recently made Quality Council of India (QCI) grading mandatory for pharmacy colleges. This move signifies a step further toward standardization and benchmarking. However, it also raises a fundamental question: Are multiple accreditations truly necessary, or do they burden institutions without proportional benefits?

On the positive side, layered accreditation frameworks can promote continuous improvement, stimulate healthy competition, and enhance credibility at national and international levels. QCI’s involvement is expected to introduce greater rigor and provide an independent perspective, with a focus on outcomes and employability.

However, the overlapping mandates of these agencies often lead to redundant documentation, administrative overload, and confusion among stakeholders. Institutions, particularly those in rural or resource-constrained settings, may struggle to meet all requirements, diverting attention from academic innovation to compliance.

The need of the hour is harmonization and coordination among accrediting bodies. A unified framework or a shared quality matrix, while respecting the unique focus of each agency, could reduce duplication and make the process more efficient. Accreditation should not be viewed as a checklist exercise, but rather as a meaningful journey toward academic and institutional excellence.

In conclusion, while the intent behind multiple accreditations, including the recent QCI mandate, is commendable, there must be a conscious effort to strike a balance between quality assurance and operational feasibility. The ultimate goal should remain clear: to produce competent pharmacy professionals who can serve the evolving needs of healthcare systems with knowledge, ethics, and skill.