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News18
08-08-2025
- Business
- News18
Want To Open A Medical Store? These Are The Degrees And Licences You'll Need
The minimum qualification to open a medical shop is either a Diploma in Pharmacy ( or a Bachelor in Pharmacy ( from an institute recognised by the PCI From small-town corners to urban high-rises, medical shops have become an essential part of the retail landscape. The growing demand for medicines, driven by population growth, increased health awareness, and changing lifestyles, has turned pharmacy stores into one of the country's most dependable businesses. But while the business is lucrative and respected, it's not open to just anyone with capital. Running a pharmacy is not like opening a grocery store. It directly impacts people's health, and for that reason, the government maintains strict entry barriers. Simply having money in hand won't get you past the regulatory gate. Specific qualifications, licenses, and professional oversight are non-negotiable. Pharmacy Degree Is Mandatory The minimum qualification to open a medical shop is either a Diploma in Pharmacy ( or a Bachelor in Pharmacy ( from an institute recognised by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI). Without one of these credentials, a drug licence will not be issued. Those without a pharmacy degree can still run a shop, by hiring a registered pharmacist. However, this isn't a loophole to bypass the rules. The pharmacist must be physically present at the shop during business hours and must be registered with the State Pharmacy Council. The cost of setting up a medical store varies dramatically depending on the location, size, and nature of the business. In smaller towns or semi-urban areas, setting up a basic store measuring 100–200 sq ft may require an initial investment of Rs 3–5 lakh. This includes rent, interiors, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a basic computer system with billing software, and a starter inventory of medicines. In metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, or Gurugram, costs can escalate sharply. For a well-branded pharmacy in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 city, the starting budget ranges from Rs 8–15 lakh or more. Ongoing expenses such as rent, electricity, staff salaries, and marketing must also be factored in. Some entrepreneurs opt for franchise models like Apollo Pharmacy, MedPlus, or Netmeds, which offer supply chain support and brand recognition but come with their own costs, primarily the franchise fee and mandatory revenue sharing. One Licence, One Store A drug licence issued by authorities is valid for only one pharmacy. Each new outlet must have a separate licence and a registered pharmacist to operate legally. Running multiple stores on a single licence, a practice some try to adopt, is illegal and can lead to hefty penalties or licence cancellation by drug inspectors. For anyone looking to expand into a pharmacy chain, the regulatory framework requires full compliance for each location. Opening a medical store can be a stable and respectable business opportunity, but it comes with responsibilities. You need either the right qualifications or a qualified partner, an approved license, and a clear understanding of the legal framework. view comments First Published: News education-career Want To Open A Medical Store? These Are The Degrees And Licences You'll Need Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
NU Academic Council Allows Carry-On One Last Time
Nagpur: The Nagpur University (NU) academic council on Saturday rolled back its decision taken a month ago and allowed the carry-on provision for "one last time" to consistently failing students. The decision was taken through a 12/3 majority vote. Another 12 members of the council were not present at the meeting. Last year too, the NU allowed carry-on as a one-time exception and held a special examination. The carry-on provision allows admission to the academic year 2025-26 for students who haven't cleared even a single subject from their previous semesters in their entire course. Last month, the NU had rejected the proposal to allow carry-on as these students had already got three attempts to clear their subjects, besides the move adversely impacted the university's academic calendar. NU officials and teachers across the board had expressed concerns over the quality of education if carry-on was allowed. Acting vice-chancellor Madhavi Khode Chavare said the university is not going to hold any special exam, and these students will have to appear in the regular exam. The acting VC said carry-on is not applicable to six courses governed by the Pharmacy Council of India and NCTE (National Council of Teachers Education). NU officials said students led by various political groups had intensified their protests following the rejection of the proposal. "They were emboldened by the recent decisions of other universities to allow carry-on and repeatedly cited the same as a reason for NU to follow suit," officials said. Earlier, top NU officials tested the authenticity of these applicants demanding carry-on and grew suspicious about their background. "In some cases, those demanding carry-on didn't actually know what it meant. Later, when top officers explained to them, they gave up their demand," officials said. However, the issue took a new turn when some political outfits created social media channels and groups to run a campaign. This led to a flooding of emails to the university officials and office bearers. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
State may halt admissions to pharmacy colleges flouting norms
Pune: The Higher and Technical Education department has issued a stern warning to pharmacy colleges, that have failed to adhere to norms prescribed by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), stating that the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) for and courses may be halted for non-compliant institutions. State may halt admissions to pharmacy colleges flouting norms The directive was announced by Chandrakant Patil, minister of Higher and Technical Education on July 29, following a high-level meeting to review the compliance status of pharmacy colleges recognised between 2022 and 2025. Convened in Mumbai, the meeting saw participation from top officials, including additional chief secretary B. Venugopal Reddy and director of Technical Education Vinod Mohitkar. Surprise inspections revealed that 128 diploma (D. Pharm) colleges and 22 degree (B. Pharm) colleges failed to meet basic infrastructure and safety requirements mandated by the PCI. Among the alarming findings were missing fire safety certifications, inadequate laboratory facilities, absence of occupancy certificates, and shortage of staff below the required standards. A significant number of these institutions came under the scanner for allegedly submitting forged or incomplete documents, such as manipulated building maps and fake occupancy certificates, to secure approvals. The identified colleges will receive show-cause notices within the next seven days, both on the DTE website and the respective institute websites. They will be granted a 30-day period to rectify the deficiencies, failing which, the DTE will recommend cancellation of their university affiliations and request the PCI to revoke its approval. In the wake of these irregularities, the Higher and Technical Education Department has launched a large-scale compliance verification drive. Colleges have now been given a one month ultimatum to furnish detailed information regarding their academic, physical, and infrastructural facilities. These include data on qualified teaching and non-teaching staff, laboratories, classrooms, library, hostel facilities, and other key educational infrastructure. 'Institutions that fail to comply with PCI standards and do not submit the required information within the stipulated period will face strict consequences. Their CAP admission process for the academic year may be stopped,' warned Minister Chandrakant Patil. To ensure transparency and authenticity, joint directors from the department have been tasked with conducting on-site inspections of all the concerned institutions. These inspections will follow the 'Standard Inspection Format' laid out by the Pharmacy Council of India. The move comes after growing concerns about the deteriorating quality of pharmaceutical education in the state. Several complaints were received last month about newly-opened pharmacy colleges functioning with inadequate facilities and staff, which prompted the government to take corrective action. 'The state is committed to supporting institutions that provide high-quality education. But those that flout norms and mislead regulatory bodies will not be allowed to operate,' the minister said.
Indian Express
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Medical aspirants, parents meet Minister over concerns against the EWS quota in private medical colleges
As medical aspirants from the state and their parents met Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif and principal secretary of the department Dheeraj Kumar on Tuesday and raised their concerns on the implementation of 10 percent Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota in private medical colleges, the government assured them that it will examine the issue from all angles. Aspirants and colleges are up in arms against the state government decision to implement 10 percent EWS reservation in private medical colleges. Both claim that it is unfair without allowing proportionate additional intake to accommodate the EWS seats, a one-time measure followed in the year 2019 when EWS was implemented in all government medical colleges. Furthermore, students have complained that if the EWS quota is applied without a boost in total intake, the number of seats under general-merit will reduce drastically, causing cut-off scores to soar leading to heightened competition to bag a seat. However, after a meeting with the state government on Tuesday, aspirants and parents are hopeful of a positive outcome. Parent representative Sudha Shenoy said, 'The minister gave us a patient hearing and assured us that the matter would be looked into for corrective measures. He connected us with the Principal Secretary of the Medical Education Department, who told us that the quota was implemented as part of affirmative action. However, we explained that EWS students are already receiving fee reimbursement under the state government's scheme. Additionally, we presented various court rulings in similar cases from different high courts. Following this, we were assured that all legal aspects would be considered before revoking the clause from the information brochure.' Shenoy further added that parents are willing to move court in case the government insists on EWS quota implementation without additional intake. When contacted, principal secretary of medical education department Dheeraj Kumar said, 'We have received the representation from various associations, and we are examining from all angles.' Minister warns pharmacy colleges in state Minister for Higher and Technical Education Chandrakant Patil has warned institutions running B Pharm and D Pharm courses in Maharashtra to meet all required norms within a month, or they will not be allowed to conduct admission from academic year 2025-26. Amid increasing concerns over mushrooming pharmacy colleges in the state leading to vacancy concerns, the higher and technical education department had ordered a re-inspection of those which were granted permissions during past few years. In a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, officials reviewed compliance from 2022 to 2025. And it was found that several colleges still lack basic academic and infrastructural facilities, as per the requirements mentioned in the Pharmacy Council of India's inspection format.
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Maharashtra cites poor standards, proposes no new pharmacy colleges for 5 years
Jun 23, 2025 11:02 AM IST Maharashtra's higher and technical education department has raised concerns over poor standards of pharmacy colleges and urged the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to suspend approvals for any new such institutes in the state for the next five years, people aware of the matter said. The move comes amid rising vacancies in pharmacy courses and a dip in education quality. Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil met with Union health minister J P Nadda over the matter. (X) Officials said that the PCI had approved many pharmacy colleges, particularly in low-demand regions, without proper inspection of infrastructure, academic readiness, or demand from local students. They noted that PCI granted permissions without consultation with the state's technical education department, leading to a surplus of institutions with poor facilities and faculty shortages. The state government last year formed a committee of industry experts and academics to review the status of the pharmacy colleges, considering the vacant seats. Officials said the panel found many colleges functioned without adequate laboratories, equipment, libraries, or classroom space. In some institutions, admissions remained far below capacity year after year, while others were unable to meet even basic educational standards. The state's request to PCI came months after Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil met with Union health minister J P Nadda in New Delhi and submitted a 2025–2031 roadmap highlighting how the quality of education had been compromised due to unchecked expansion and lack of oversight. An official said the delegation recommended that PCI impose a blanket restriction on new B Pharm and D Pharm colleges in the state for at least five years and refrain from granting any increase in intake capacity to the existing ones. 'Nadda is said to have responded positively to this suggestion, raising expectations that central action may soon follow.' The official said the department decided to inspect all colleges set up in the last three years to understand the quality of infrastructure and education.
