STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: BJP J&K Vice President Priya Sethi, accompanied by party spokesperson Dr. Pardeep Mahotra and senior leader Parneesh Mahajan, addressed a press conference in Jammu highlighting the concerns of B.Pharma (Bachelor of Pharmacy) and D.Pharma (Diploma in Pharmacy) candidates regarding the alleged incorrect syllabus notified for the post of Junior Pharmacist under Advertisement No. 07/2025 issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB).
Priya Sethi said that pharmacy graduates and diploma holders from across the Union Territory have submitted a collective representation pointing out serious discrepancies in the recruitment process. She stated that the eligibility criteria for the Junior Pharmacist post clearly require D.Pharm and B.Pharm qualifications, which are regulated by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. However, the syllabus notified later reportedly includes subjects related to nursing, OT technician, and medical assistant courses, which are not relevant to pharmacy education, she said.
Sethi emphasized that candidates have repeatedly submitted representations to the concerned authorities seeking correction of the syllabus, but the issue remains unresolved, causing uncertainty among aspirants whose examination is scheduled for April 2026.
She said that as per official assurances and PCI guidelines, the syllabus should strictly follow the PCI-approved curriculum for pharmacy courses, and any deviation from statutory norms creates injustice for thousands of qualified candidates. Quoting the concerns raised by the candidates, she added that the Pharmacy Council of India has also issued written directions recommending revision of the syllabus in accordance with PCI standards. Despite these instructions, the matter is reportedly pending due to administrative delays between departments, leaving candidates unable to prepare properly for the examination. Priya Sethi said the issue is not only related to employment opportunities but also concerns the quality of healthcare services, as recruitment based on an irrelevant syllabus may fail to assess the professional competence required for pharmacists responsible for safe medicine dispensing and patient care. Priya Sethi strongly criticized the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) government, alleging that it has failed to take the concerns of pharmacy graduates seriously and is doing injustice to the youth of the Union Territory. She said the government appears indifferent to the legitimate demands of candidates seeking correction of the syllabus and timely resolution of the issue. Sethi further alleged that instead of ensuring a fair and transparent recruitment process, the administration is attempting to favour “blue-eyed candidates” for posts, which, she said, undermines merit and damages the confidence of young job aspirants. She urged the Omar Abdullah-led NC government to act impartially, address the grievances of pharmacy candidates without delay, and ensure that recruitment procedures are conducted strictly on merit and in accordance with statutory guidelines. She urged the concerned authorities to immediately revise the syllabus in line with the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and PCI guidelines, and to provide adequate preparation time to candidates after the correction is made. She stated that timely intervention is necessary to ensure fairness, transparency, and adherence to statutory regulations in the recruitment process.