BENGALURU: The 2021 report on the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) (Amendment) bill stated that despite NIPERs being declared as institutes of national importance there are huge disparities among NIPERs in terms of infrastructure, courses offered, campus area, academic and research outputs. It recommended certain standards for such parameters.
The report added that of the seven established NIPERs, only NIPER Mohali has a finished campus, and noted that proposals to create five more NIPERs (at Madurai, Jhalawar, Nagpur, New Raipur, and Bengaluru) have been pending since 2012.
The Amendment bill 2021 noted that the transfer of directors and faculty members among NIPERs was not allowed. It recommended that the transfer of members must be empowered to encourage mutual sharing and learning between NIPERs and the Department of Pharmaceuticals should enable the inter-NIPER transfer.
“NIPERs lack competency and regulation, the institutes require being registered under the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) but are monitored by the All India Council for Technical Institution (AICTE),” said Vijaybhaskar Annapareddy, state president, Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council, also, Indian Pharmacy Graduates Association (IPGA). Due to a lack of quality education and a shortage of qualified staff, PCI has imposed restrictions on setting up new pharmacy colleges for the next five years.
There should be a cross-movement between academics, industry, and government for efficient working, said Dr Anish Desai, founder and CEO of IntelliMed Healthcare Solutions. Currently, many organizations do not have honorary faculty from the industry.