The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has instructed pharmacy institutions to designate nodal officers for effectively connecting student data on the scholarship platform. This step is pivotal for distributing the monthly scholarship to Pharmacy Post Graduate (GPAT) students who qualify.
This action aligns with PCI’s proposal to implement the Pradhan Mantri Scholarship for Pharmacy Post Graduate Studies (PMSPPS) for students who have excelled in the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT). This scholarship targets those accepted into PCI-sanctioned postgraduate courses within Council-endorsed institutions and university departments, adhering to the specified intake capacity. Eligible full-time students are set to receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 12,400.
Prior to scholarship disbursement, institutions must validate the particulars of admitted students eligible for the scholarship as the student-linking phase is anticipated to commence shortly.
Consequently, “institutions are urged to appoint two nodal officers per establishment: one as a maker, authorized by the principal/head, and the other as a checker – the principal, to manage the student-linking process on the scholarship portal,” the Council indicated.
Institutions must submit authorization documents as per the format outlined in a notice available on the Council’s website.
Additionally, institutions are required to provide nodal officer details through a form available via a PCI-provided link and upload necessary documents as indicated by the Council within three business days, stated a notice dated November 26.
Recently, the Council announced that scholarships will be allocated to qualifying GPAT students enrolled in PCI-approved postgraduate programs within certified institutions or university departments consistent with PCI-sanctioned intake limits.
“GPAT-qualified students are the sole beneficiaries of this scholarship, slated for distribution for the academic cycles 2023-24 and 2024-25 based on results issued by NTA & NBEMS, respectively. The scholarship is valid for 24 months (2 years),” the Council communicated to all qualified GPAT candidates.
The National Testing Agency administers the GPAT examination to assist institutions in identifying suitable pharmacy graduates for master’s program admissions.
GPAT is conducted as a three-hour computer-based online test in a singular session, and its score is recognized by all AICTE-approved institutes, university departments, constituent, and affiliated colleges. Various scholarships and other financial aids in the field of Pharmacy are also connected to GPAT scores, as per NAT.
In their scholarship announcement, the Council stated that it would be facilitated through Canara Bank, and all GPAT qualified students are urged to establish an account with this bank to receive their scholarship.
Furthermore, a link to the bank’s portal and detailed guidelines for account setup have been provided along with the circular.