New Delhi, Aug. 24 -- Confronted with fake records and the spectre of "ghost faculty" in pharmacy colleges, the Pharmacy Council of India, a statutory body under the health and family welfare ministry, has issued a 15-day ultimatum for institutions to adopt the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS).

In a strict push to enforce the biometric attendance mandate, the council has warned that any failure to meet the deadline may lead to withdrawal of approvals for the institutions. Such a move could disrupt pharmacy education, as the unapproved institutions would not be able to operate.

Statistics from the council reflect an alarming situation. Over half of India's approved pharmacy colleges have not yet adopted the new system,...