Pharma diploma first year trimmed to 5 months due to delay in college approval

As a result, institutes will have to complete an entire academic year’s syllabus within a compressed time frame.

Pune: The first-year duration of the Diploma in Pharmacy course has been shortened to just five months this year due to delays in the approval process by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI). As a result, institutes will have to complete an entire academic year’s syllabus within a compressed time frame.

Dhanbad,Jharkhand,INDIA, June 30: Medical students walk to attend classes at Patliputra Medical College Dhanbad.June 30,2017 -(Photo-Bijay-Hindustan Times)Story/Subash Mishra

According to the Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE), the academic session for the first-year Diploma in Pharmacy started from October to April 18, 2026. The annual examination has been scheduled to begin on April 30, 2026.

The course, typically, spans 10 to 11 months, but this year’s delay in PCI approvals postponed the admission process. Consequently, students will get only about five months, within which colleges are expected to complete the full syllabus.

Despite the short duration, the board has scheduled three internal examinations during this period. First internal exam is scheduled for December 15-19, second internal exam for February 9-14, 2026, and third internal exam for April 6-10, 2026. The final practice exams will be held from April 20-25, 2026, followed by the annual examination from April 30, 2026.

Students are expected to undergo an intensive crash course-style learning experience in their first year due to the curtailed schedule.