Persistent Vacancy Crisis in Maharashtra's Pharmacy Education
For the third consecutive year, Maharashtra's Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) programs are facing alarming vacancy rates, with over 32% of seats remaining unfilled despite government efforts to regulate non-compliant institutions. As admissions concluded for the 2025-26 academic year, data reveals that 15,936 out of 48,878 available seats found no takers, maintaining almost identical vacancy levels to the previous academic year.
Skewed Demand-Supply Equation Worsens
The vacancy rate of over 32% this year follows a pattern of consistent under-enrollment that began sharply escalating in the 2023-24 academic year. That year witnessed more than 33% vacancies, a dramatic increase from the slightly over 12% recorded in 2022-23. Experts attribute this persistent problem to a fundamental imbalance between student demand and the rapid proliferation of pharmacy colleges, particularly following the pandemic period.
A senior professor from a reputed pharmacy college in Mumbai explained the student perspective: "Many of these institutions allegedly operate without adequate infrastructure and mandatory facilities, making aspirants reluctant to seek admission. Those who eventually enroll in such colleges often suffer from poor educational quality and inadequate facilities."
Government Actions and Institutional Challenges
The Maharashtra Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) attempted to address quality concerns by issuing showcause notices to 48 BPharm colleges for failing to meet Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) standards. This regulatory action resulted in 18 degree colleges being initially barred from participating in 2025-26 admissions. However, these institutions eventually joined the admission process from the second round after securing court orders.
Simultaneously, the number of pharmacy colleges continues to grow, with 17 new institutions added this year, bringing the total to 531 compared to 514 last year. This represents significant expansion from just 396 colleges in the 2022-23 academic year.
"The mushrooming of colleges from 396 to 531 within two years clearly demonstrates uncontrolled growth that state authorities have failed to curb," stated a pharmacy college principal who requested anonymity.
Systemic Issues and Comparative Performance
Admission process delays further exacerbate the vacancy problem. The principal highlighted that "PCI's new approvals continue until late September, causing admission delays annually. This prolonged timeline leads many candidates to pursue alternative higher education options, directly contributing to pharmacy seat vacancies."
In contrast to the undergraduate program's struggles, the Master's in Pharmacy (MPharm) course demonstrated much healthier enrollment figures. Across 229 colleges offering 9,356 seats, admissions were confirmed for 8,541 seats, indicating significantly better demand for advanced pharmacy education.
The continuing high vacancy rates despite government intervention suggest that deeper structural reforms may be necessary to balance educational supply with market demand and ensure quality standards across Maharashtra's pharmacy education landscape.
