DPharm exit exam delay leaves thousands of students in limbo

Nagpur: The exit examination for students who passed the two-year DPharm course across the country in the 2023–24 academic session was deferred for a year, but it is still not conducted, leaving students uncertain about their professional future. The mandatory exit exam is required for obtaining a licence and registration. There are 85 DPharm institutions in Nagpur division with nearly 2,500 students who passed out and were still awaiting the exit examination.Earlier, the examination was scheduled to comprise three papers and was to be conducted in Oct 2024, but it did not take place. Subsequently, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) issued a fresh notification on Dec 31, 2024, clarifying that the exam would now be conducted on a single day. However, the notification did not specify the examination date, continuing the prevailing confusion among students.NBEMS postponed the exam and advised students to regularly check its official website for updates. While interim relief was provided by allowing one-year provisional registration and licence, students were informed that renewal after one year was mandatory. Even as nearly a year passed since the postponement of the exit exam, no clear instructions were issued regarding the licence and registration process, adding to students' concerns.Zaid Qureshi, a student, said that although the decision to grant provisional licence and registration brought temporary relief, the exit exam should be conducted at the earliest. He urged authorities to announce the examination date soon so that the exam is held before the renewal deadline and the uncertainty faced by students ends.