Dr. Ganesh Andhale is the head of the Pharmaceutical Chemistry department at Alard College of Pharmacy. He has around 13 years of experience in the education field. He has been a lifetime member of Indian Pharmaceutical Association, Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India and Indian Society for Technical Education. Till now, he has published 08 national and 19 international papers in peer reviewed reputed journals. 

Alard College of Pharmacy

How does the curriculum ensure the best practice of the industry?

We have designed the curriculum as per industry needs. Regular updates in curriculum are made according to the regulatory bodies. Students can choose their career into different fields such as pharmacovigilance, medical coding, medical writing, production, quality assurance, quality control etc. In the college we have included a practice school to give the students industry related knowledge. We have provided internships in the curriculum to gain industry experience.

Do you have any extracurricular activities/ programs to enhance the skills of the students in the college?

There are many activities being conducted throughout the year in which students can participate. NSS camps are conducted in college as part of social programs. The government initiatives like Clean India Campaign are organized in which students can participate. Different awareness programs such as cancer awareness, health issues are organized in colleges. Around 10 days NSS camps are conducted in college, in which various activities are conducted like free medicine given, visit to nearby villages to spread awareness about storage of medicine and rational use of antibiotics. Also different cultural programs and sports are conducted in college to do the overall development of students. 

What are the different projects and industry expertise student’s gain in these curricula?

To have experience with industry, students do internships. We have tie-ups with pharmaceutical companies to provide webinars and seminars from industry experts. The students work on pilot scale projects in which they learn and apply the practical approach to the theoretical knowledge they have gained.

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How did you train yourself/faculty to deliver this program to the students?

We conduct various programs for faculty in college. We conduct a faculty development program in the college. Faculty members are being sent for a quality improvement program in which they learn about new techniques and knowledge about changing trends in education. Various webinars and seminars are conducted all year round. Faculty learn from online courses such as Swayam. 

What career options can a student choose after doing this course?

The college provides training to students to do all round development of the students which would help them in their careers. The student can choose to do research in the Pharma sector, join private pharma companies, and become an entrepreneur in the medical field. A student can also open her/ his own medical shop in which s/he can work in retail as a wholesale business supplying different medicines. Students can prepare for government exams and can work in the Pharmaceutical government sector like drug inspector. Students can work on research and become scientists.

What valuable advice would you like to the students for them to have a prosperous career ahead?

The message for the students is don't go for shortcuts. Read as much as possible, gain knowledge as much as possible. Learn different skills which would help them in overall development. Choose your field in which you want to work after much discussion. Give your best in whatever field you work. Try to gain more industry experience and work according to it. 

How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

The program involves a lot of industry experience by working in an internship. The in hand industry experience during a two-month internship will help them be better prepared for the future. Also the curriculum has many courses in which students gain theoretical knowledge which help them in their career. They work on many projects. 

What are the challenges faced while handling the course compared to other courses?

The program gives detailed knowledge about the pharmacy sector, but students compare it with high paying jobs like in IT. Students who have an interest in the pharmacy sector, want to do research work can get exposure to work in the field. The students have to focus and show interest in learning all the courses which are covered in the curriculum.

What are the best practices in the course you’re offering?

The course has been designed as it covers major knowledge in the pharma industry. The students have to submit a pilot scale project in the second year. The students also have the opportunity to work on large scale projects in which they can apply knowledge and gain practical approach which is a greater advantage to students when they join the industry.

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What are the challenges faced as the Head of the department?

The main challenge as HoD is to manage coordination between the faculty and students, and provide the best facilities to students. The management of all working people in the department is the major task faced by the head. The proper balance between academics and by myself is to be maintained. The course content is reduced in the latest update so we as a department have to put extra efforts providing courses, conducting sessions so that the students gain complete knowledge in the Pharmaceutical Chemistry field.