The Supreme Court on Friday extended the time granted to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU), Uttar Pradesh, and the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to complete approval procedures for pharmacy colleges for the 2025–26 academic session. The matter drew the attention of several educational institutions awaiting clarity, and the courtroom saw a fairly practical tone from the bench.
Background
The case stems from earlier directions issued in a long-running dispute involving the regulatory powers of the PCI and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Colleges offering pharmacy courses often require annual approvals before admitting students, and delays in these processes can leave thousands of students in uncertainty.
Multiple writ petitions were filed this year by colleges seeking permission to start or continue pharmacy courses in the upcoming academic session. Many institutions argued that the approval window was closing fast and sought an urgent solution.
Court’s Observations
During the hearing, counsel appearing for the Pharmacy Council of India submitted that the PCI was prepared to review the pending applications for the current year. The bench appeared satisfied with this assurance.
At one point, the bench noted in a measured tone, “If the authority itself is willing to reconsider approvals, there is no remaining issue for adjudication in these petitions.”
The atmosphere in the courtroom was relatively calm, with no sharp disagreements between counsels. Representatives for the colleges looked visibly relieved when PCI's position became clear. The court, instead of entering into wider regulatory debate this time, focused on ensuring that academic timelines do not collapse.
Court’s Decision
The bench, led by the Chief Justice, ordered that the period for completing approval procedures is extended till November 15, 2025 for both AKTU and the PCI. This extension is critical for the processing of applications for the academic year 2025–26.
Further, the Court recorded PCI’s statement that it will reconsider approval requests for pharmacy courses for the same academic session. Following this, the Court held that nothing further remained to be decided in the pending writ petitions and disposed them of accordingly.
The order ends at this direction, without additional conditions or ongoing supervision.
Case: Pharmacy Council of India vs. AICTE & Others (Related Applications & Writ Petitions)
Court: Supreme Court of India, Bench led by Chief Justice
Date of Order: 31 October 2025
