JUDGMENT :

Prashant Kumar Mishra, J.

W.A.No.1145 of 2017 would call in question order dated 13.06.2017, passed by the learned Single Judge allowing W.P.No.22847 of 2007 preferred by the writ petitioner challenging the order dated 03.09.2007, passed by the Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council rejecting his application for registration as Pharmacist.

2. In the writ petition, it was averred that after having completed his Intermediate (Vocational Course) Examination, the writ petitioner was admitted to Diploma in Pharmacy Course and upon completion of the said course, he is entitled to be registered as a Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948 and the rules framed thereunder. But, ignoring his eligibility, the 4th respondent-The Pharmacy Council of India, rejected the application of the writ petitioner for registration.

3. The 4th respondent defended the action on the ground that Intermediate (Vocational Course) Examination is not a recognised eligible qualification for admission to a Diploma course. Therefore, the writ petitioner is not entitled to be registered as a Pharmacist.

4. The attention of the Court was invited to Regulation 5 of Education Regulations, 1991 (for short, ‘the Regulations’). Sub-Regulation (5) of the Regulations provides the following examinations with Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Mathematics as valid qualification for admission to a Diploma in Pharmacy Part-I Course, namely:

(1) Intermediate examination Science;

(2) The first year of the three year degree course in Science;

(3) 10+2 examination (academic stream) in Science;

(4) Pre-degree examination;

(5) Any other qualification approved by the Pharmacy Council of India as equivalent to any of the above examination may also be considered as minimum qualification.

However, for the present, we are not on the issue as to whether Intermediate (Vocational Course) examination has to be treated to be an equivalent qualification or not.

5. The issue as to whether such examination was a valid examination for admission to pharmacy course has been set at rest by the Pharmacy Council of India in its letter dated 10.02.2020. As a matter of fact, the said letter has been issued pursuant to the impugned order dated 13.06.2017, passed by the leaned Single Judge in W.P.No.22847 of 2007. The contents of the letter being germane to the issue on hand, letter dated 10.02.2020, is reproduced in entirety: