Medical Assistant/Pharmacist association stages protest in Srinagar, demands registration of licenses

BASHARAT RASHID

Srinagar, 21 September: The Medical Assistant/Pharmacist students on Monday staged a protest in Srinagar city of Kashmir, demanding justice in their favour.

Under the banner of the JK Medical Assistant/Pharmacist Association, a large number of diploma holders from nook and corner of the valley assembled near press colony, demanding inclusion in the registration process governed by the Central Pharmacy Act in order to obtain the licenses.

A group of protesters said that they are not able to register and obtain the licenses as “the Medical Assistant’s diploma is not registered by the Pharmacy Council of India.”

They said that they have been continuously protesting to get justice. However, they “didn’t see any statement or order” in their favour, due to which they are dismayed.

One of the diploma holders has said that there are around 20,000 such diploma holders and most of the students are still pursuing the diplomas in different institutions of the valley.

He said that majority of students apparently belong to poor and needy families and cannot afford the degrees in and outside the state.

The protesters while chanting the slogans demanded immediate intervention of higher-ups particularly LG Kashmir into the matter.

Sources said that State Pharmacy Council laws got abolished instead of that Indian Pharmacy Council laws are being implemented in J&K after the state was converted into UT, last year.

They said that these diploma holders have been protesting since then to get justice in their favour.