Alappuzha: Under the guise of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), non-accredited pharmacy courses have become rampant across Kerala. 

The scamsters lure students through social media ads by offering pharmacy courses at cheaper rates and assuring them of lucrative jobs upon completion. Many students who passed their SSLC and Plus 2 examinations fell into a trap after being drawn in by these short-term courses and online learning.

Meanwhile, complaints were raised against some using Kudumbashree's name to offer pharmacy courses. To address the matter, the Federation of Indian Pharmacists Organization (FIPO) has filed a complaint to the health minister and the Pharmacy Council.

According to FIPO, councils do not approve the six-month pharmacy assistant diploma course. The Pharmacy Council also confirmed that neither Kerala nor the district mission of Kudumbashree offers such a pharmacy course. 

Meanwhile, the Pharmacy Council has recommended students to exercise prudence when selecting a programme. The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) authorised courses range in length from two to six years. For instance, a Diploma in Pharmacy course is offered for two years and a Bachelor of Pharmacy is for four years. Meanwhile, the Pharm D programme is six years long.  

The list of approved paramedical courses and institutes run by Kerala Health University in the state is named on the website of Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) (www.kuhs.ac.in). The website (www.dme.kerala.gov.in) of the Directorate of Medical Education contains a list of numerous courses and institutes that have been approved by the State Government, Directorate of Medical Education, Kerala Paramedical Council, and Pharmacy Council.