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The ESI Bellicose Pharmacist Association (BPA), headquartered in Gurgaon in Haryana, representing the pharmacist cadre in various state and Central services, has submitted a comprehensive representation to the 8th Central Pay Commission.
The submission calls for a strategic overhaul of the current pay structure, emphasizing the need for degree-qualified pharmacists to be placed within Pay Matrix Levels 7 to 10. This move is intended to address a long-standing disparity where the professional standing of pharmacists has regressed relative to other healthcare cadres over successive pay commissions.
A primary demand within the representation is the formal classification of the pharmacy cadre as a ‘Unique Technical Service’ rather than a paramedical stream. The association argues that pharmacy is an independent profession governed by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) with its own distinct body of knowledge. By adopting the ‘Seven-Star Pharmacist’ framework recognized by the WHO, the association highlights the multifaceted roles of pharmacists as caregivers, communicators, and researchers who are essential to rational therapeutics.
The association highlights a ‘national qualification paradox’ where entry-level requirements are being upgraded to B.Pharm and Pharm.D degrees across India, while remuneration remains stagnant at levels originally intended for diploma holders. Data submitted to the commission illustrates that while pharmacists held a superior pay scale compared to staff nurses during the 4th CPC, the current matrix places them significantly lower. This inversion is cited as a major factor in the exodus of talented professionals from government service to the private sector.
In addition to base pay revisions, the ESI BPA is advocating for the introduction of a ‘Patient Counselling Allowance’. This request is based on the statutory duties mandated by the Pharmacy Practice Regulations (PPR) 2015, which legally require pharmacists to provide cognitive clinical services such as drug therapy monitoring and patient education. The association maintains that these expanded legal responsibilities, which directly impact patient safety, must be recognized through specific financial compensation.
To ensure sustainable career growth, the representation proposes a more dynamic Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) scheme. This would create a clear pathway for pharmacists to advance into high-level administrative positions, such as chief pharmacist or district drugs warehouse manager. Such a structure is viewed as vital for maintaining morale and ensuring that experienced professionals remain within the public healthcare system to manage complex pharmaceutical supply chains.
The ESI BPA has further exhorted pharmacy representatives from all Indian states to incorporate these core points into their own regional submissions to the 8th Pay Commission. By synchronizing these demands online, the association aims to create a unified national voice to maximize the weight and consideration given to the cadre's grievances. The association emphasizes that a fair pay package is not merely a matter of industrial relations but a necessity for maintaining the integrity of healthcare delivery and medicine management across the country.
Talking to Pharmabiz, the general secretary of the association, Aryan Nirwan, said he trusts the authorities will treat the submission with the gravity it deserves to uphold the dignity of the profession. By aligning pay with modern educational standards and statutory duties, the commission has an opportunity to attract the best young minds to the public sector. The representation concludes that recognizing the technical rigor of pharmacy services is essential for the overall welfare of the patient population in India.
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