Government plans 6 more national centres for pharma education and research

The union cabinet has approved the establishment of six new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) at Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Hajipur, Guwahati and Rae Bareli, at an estimated cost of Rs633.15 crore.

The establishment of full fledged NIPER campuses at these places for imparting higher PG level education as well as to undertake R&D projects will help meet the requirement of highly skilled manpower for the pharmaceutical industry, a government release said on Friday.

The first NIPER, an institute of national importance was set up at Mohali under NIPER Act, 1998. However, in view of the increased requirement of highly skilled manpower for the pharmaceutical industry, the government, in principle, decided to set up six new NIPERs at Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Hajipur, Guwahati and Rae Bareli.

Accordingly, post-graduate courses in pharmaceutical sciences were commenced at Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Hajipur from the academic session of 2007-08 with the help of mentor institutes. PG courses at Guwahati and Rae Bareli were started with the help of mentor institutes from 2008.

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research was set up as an autonomous body under the aegis of the department of pharmaceuticals, ministry of chemicals and fertilizers with the proclaimed objective of becoming a centre of excellence for advanced studies and research in pharmaceutical sciences.

The Institute is conceived to provide leadership in pharmaceutical sciences and related areas not only within the country, but also to the countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Africa.