There are about 86 pharmacy colleges in Andhra Pradesh but the quality of education that is currently offered in these colleges are not up to the industry's expectations. Further education and practical training is a must in addition to the formal education pursued in the colleges. Realising this, an institute on lines of NIPER has been proposed to be established at Hyderabad by the Centre.

The proposed institute will also give due attention to drug discovery and environmental sciences. It will also try to establish convergence of IT and pharma. The institute is likely to offer post graduation, PhD postdoctoral level programmes initially and under graduate courses after three to four years. Pharma industry may also set up training centres integrated with the institute. A centre for biotechnology will also be created.

Dr SS Vara Prasad, senior advisor, Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association (BDMA) said, the institute may also establish collaborations with overseas universities and conduct scientific exchange programmes. It will also ensure linkage with 86 pharma colleges for offering distance education programmes.

The institute will also utilise the clinical research expertise and capability of Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS). Contract research and clinical research are emerging fields in India. NIMS may set up a centre in IDPL which may act in coordination with the other centres proposed to be set up in the institute or may even outsource clinical research activity from NIMS existing premises in Hyderabad, he added.

Hyderabad has been selected for setting up an institute due the presence of bulk drugs industry in AP. The institute is likely to be set up in IDPL in an area of 70-100 acres. The Government of India will fund up to Rs 100-150 crore for this purpose. The actual plan for such an institute at Hyderabad has begun about three years ago.

The proposed institute in Hyderabad is expected to meet the aspirations and demand of Andhra Pradesh for training the required manpower to carry out clinical research and drug discovery in the field of pharmaceutical science and technology, the sources said.

Hyderabad is one among the five places where such institutes are planned by the Government of India and may be one of the first institutes to be established among the proposed. Other proposed institutes are likely to come in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Guwahati and Hazipur (Bihar). The Government is expected to spend about Rs 750 crore for establishing these five institutes.