The Central government has constituted a high powered committee with 11 members to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for proposed five autonomous institutes of higher learning of pharmaceutical education on the lines of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Chandigarh. The institutes would take up new drug research separately and in partnership with pharma industry besides creating a vast pool of scientists.

The 11 members committee will comprise former and current directors of NIPR along with representatives from pharmaceutical industry associations, Planning Commission, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and IDPL. The committee is headed by the former director of NIPER. The first Committee meeting is expected to be held at New Delhi on September 20, 2006, where the Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers will take part.

The Committee will prepare DPRs for each institute incorporating detailed analysis of thrust areas and financial outlays required in a phased manner during the 11th five year plan. The proposed institutes are likely to be set up in the beginning of the 11th five-year plan period. The Committee will submit the DPR by November 30, 2006.

The proposed five institutes are expected to be established in Hyderabad, Hazipur, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Guwahati. It is learnt that the first two institutes are likely to come up in Hyderabad and Hazipur (Bihar). Government of India, in principle, has decided to set up the institutes in these locations to meet the increasing demand of trained manpower to meet the production and R & D requirement of pharmaceutical industry in the country.

Each institute will focus on specific areas. For instance, Hyderabad institute will look at the needs of the bulk drugs industry in Andhra Pradesh. Ahmedabad will also focus on synthetic drugs. Guawahati will lay thrust on herbal medicines while Kolkata will emphasise on alkaloids and steroids from herbal extracts.

As per the proposal, the Government of India will provide financial support up to Rs 100-150 crore for each institute and each State Government (where institutes are proposed to be set up) will provide about 70-100 acres free of cost. In the case of the institute proposed to be set up at Hyderabad, Government of Andhra Pradesh will provide land available in IDPL.