Pune: The much-awaited admission process for the Diploma in Pharmacy (D. Pharm.) will finally commence on October 12, after a delay of nearly four months.

The admission process, which typically begins in June or July, was held up due to the pending approval from the Pharmacy Council, leaving students and parents anxious.

The Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) has now released the detailed admission schedule, which has come as a relief to aspiring pharmacy students.

Despite the official start of admissions in mid-October, classes are expected to begin only after the Diwali holidays, which may extend the academic calendar further into the year.

Over the past few years, the pharmacy course has seen a surge in demand, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. With pharmacy-related professions gaining importance, interest in D. Pharm. courses has grown, leading to full enrolments for the last two to three years.

The DTE has outlined a structured admission process that includes three regular rounds. For the first round, students must submit their applications between October 12 and October 14.

A provisional list of admissions will be published on October 16, followed by the final selection list on October 17. Students who make it to the selection list will need to confirm their admissions by visiting their respective colleges by October 20. Prior to confirmation, document verification is mandatory.

For those who miss the first round, the second round of admissions will commence on October 21, while the third round will start on October 31.

The final deadline for securing admission into the diploma pharmacy program is November 30. Colleges are required to upload the necessary documents of the admitted students by this date, according to DTE guidelines.