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Proposed VBSA Bill to mandate radical transparency for pharmacy education
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
January 02 , 2025
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The proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, is set to introduce a rigorous new era of accountability, fundamentally transforming how pharmacy institutions in India must manage their public image and operational truthfulness.
Central to this landmark reform is a strict mandate for ‘full online and offline public self-disclosure’ of all institutional data. Once the legislation is enacted, every pharmacy college operating within the national framework will be legally required to publicly report its finances, audits, faculty credentials, and educational outcomes on a centralized national portal.
The draft legislation moves decisively beyond mere reporting, proposing active enforcement through a swift corrective action mechanism designed to overhaul the current regulatory culture. Under the provisions of the Bill, the newly established Regulatory Council would be empowered to initiate and conclude enforcement actions within a tight sixty-day window in any case involving dishonest public self-disclosure or financial impropriety. This rapid-response capability is specifically intended to address academic or administrative dishonesty without the delays of traditional bureaucracy.
Besides, the Bill seeks to allow for the formal adjudication of penalties for contraventions of the Act, creating a clear legal pathway to punish institutions that fail to meet national standards. By codifying these consequences, the government intends to create a powerful deterrent against the commercialization of pharmacy education, a practice the Bill explicitly aims to dismantle. This shift aims to ensure that pharmacy colleges are viewed as centres of healthcare excellence rather than mere commercial enterprises.
Student protection stands at the heart of this legislative proposal, prioritized through a mandatory and robust grievance redressal mechanism. The Bill requires that students in all higher educational institutions, including pharmacy programs, have free and unfettered access to a transparent system for lodging complaints against mismanagement. The Regulatory Council would be tasked with the time-bound disposal of these grievances, ensuring that student interests remain central to the regulatory reform.
A high level of financial probity is slated to become a non-negotiable requirement, with the legislation mandating that institutional audits and financial matters be reported with absolute truthfulness. This is a primary pillar of the ‘light but tight’ regulatory philosophy. Under this model, institutions are granted operational autonomy but are held to uncompromising standards of transparency. Any institution found violating these norms would face significant public scrutiny and the potential for their failures to be broadcast on national platforms.
Crucially, the legislation ensures that the imposition of penalties does not become a burden for the learners themselves. Clause 36 of the Bill specifically provides a safety net, stating that any penalty realized from an institution must not affect the interest of students. This ensures that even when an institution is being penalized for administrative or financial lapses, the academic progress and career prospects of the students remain protected and uninterrupted throughout the corrective process.
The Bill also seeks to equip the Regulatory Council with the ultimate penalty, the power to revoke the authorization of institutions to grant degrees if they are found in persistent violation of the Act’s provisions. While the law maintains the principles of natural justice by providing institutions an opportunity to be heard, this provision highlights a zero-tolerance policy toward sub-standard education. It reflects a firm commitment to maintaining only high-performing and honest institutions within the national ecosystem.
The Bill demonstrates that while the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) is expected to continue its specialized professional oversight, it will do so within a national environment that no longer tolerates shadow management. By combining rapid corrective action with student-centric protections, the VBSA Bill aims to build a world-class education system rooted in the values of trust, truth, and total transparency.
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