Expert committee recommends more institutes for pharma education

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) An expert committee has recommended the setting up of more institutions in the country on the pattern of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) at Mohali, Punjab.

NIPER was set up by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, which also administers the pharmaceutical sector, under an Act of Parliament on June 26, 1988. As the first national-level institute of its kind in the field of pharmaceutical sciences, NIPER provides doctoral and post-graduate degree courses in pharmaceutical sciences.

The committee has recommended that the concerned State Governments may provide 70-100 acres of land free of cost to the Centre to set up the proposed institutes.

The Department is presently discussing with the Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar to set up NIPER-like institutes at Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Hajipur. After getting their response, the Department would take up the matter with the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance.

The existing Act on NIPER would also have to be amended, the committee said.

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