Madhya Pradesh’s pharmacy education sector is going through a serious crisis this year, with more than 16,000 B.Pharm and D.Pharm seats remaining vacant across colleges in the state. Despite the growing demand for healthcare professionals nationwide, pharmacy institutions in MP are struggling to attract students. Officials say this has raised major concerns about the quality, employability, and sustainability of pharmacy education in the state.

This issue is important because it reflects a deeper problem within India’s professional education system — a mismatch between the number of institutions and actual student demand. As someone who has followed higher education trends, I find this decline worrying. Pharmacy is a crucial part of the healthcare ecosystem, and under-enrolment not only threatens the survival of smaller colleges but also risks creating gaps in India’s healthcare workforce. Understanding what has gone wrong in MP’s pharmacy education system is therefore critical to fixing it before the situation worsens.

Alarming Vacancy Numbers Across Colleges

According to reports from the Department of Technical Education, Madhya Pradesh, a total of 16,194 seats remain vacant this admission season. These include both Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) and Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm) programmes across government and private colleges.

Out of nearly 28,000 available seats, only around 11,800 students have taken admission so far, with the rest lying vacant even after multiple counselling rounds. Private institutions, which account for the majority of seats, are the worst hit — some colleges have recorded less than 25% occupancy.

Experts say such vacancy rates have not been seen in years, signalling a decline in interest in pharmacy education and raising questions about the mushrooming of substandard colleges across the state.

Reasons Behind Low Admissions

Education experts and officials point to several key factors behind the alarming vacancy rate:

• Oversupply of colleges: In the past decade, pharmacy colleges have increased rapidly in MP, many without adequate infrastructure or faculty. This has led to more seats than students.
• Falling interest among students: Many students now prefer engineering, nursing, or paramedical courses that promise better placement opportunities.
• Poor job prospects: Graduates often face limited job opportunities or low starting salaries, discouraging new entrants.
• Regulatory challenges: Delays in approvals and affiliation processes have further dampened college operations.
• Lack of awareness: In rural areas, awareness about the career scope in pharmacy remains low.

A senior official from the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) reportedly stated that unless colleges improve infrastructure and teaching quality, student interest will continue to decline.

Experts Call for Reform and Rationalisation

Educationists argue that the situation demands urgent rationalisation of pharmacy colleges. They suggest that poorly performing or non-compliant institutions should be merged or closed to maintain academic quality.

Dr. A.K. Sharma, an academic expert based in Bhopal, said, “Many colleges were opened purely for commercial reasons. Without qualified faculty or lab facilities, they can’t attract good students. It’s time the state government reviews them seriously.”

He also emphasised the need to align pharmacy education with real-world healthcare needs, through internships, digital learning, and collaborations with hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.

The Broader Impact on Healthcare and Education

The shortage of students in pharmacy colleges could have long-term consequences for India’s healthcare system. Pharmacists play a key role in drug management, patient counselling, and ensuring safe medicine distribution. If fewer students pursue this field, it could affect healthcare accessibility, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.

Moreover, such low enrolment rates also threaten the financial sustainability of smaller private colleges. Many institutions depend entirely on tuition fees to survive, and prolonged under-admission could force them to shut down or compromise academic quality.