The Department of Pharmaceuticals has initiated steps to appoint full time directors for the newly set-up six National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs). However, the list of the NIPERs for which directors are to be chosen does not have the premier institute at Mohali which has been in news following the extension of term and later the resignation of its director.

The DoP has asked the Indian Council for Medical (ICMR) to shortlist a panel of names to be included in the screening committee to select the directors. “Six new NIPERs at Ahmedabad, Hajipur, Rae Bareli, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Kolkata have been set up by the Ministry. At present, these institutes are functioning with the help of mentor institutes. Therefore, to select suitable candidates, the department proposes to constitute search committees for recommending suitable candidates for appointment to the post of director, NIPERs,” according to a communiqué sent to Dr V M Katoch who is the director general of ICMR.

The department letter, also sent to Dr M B Goswami of ICMR, has requested them to recommend a panel of names of eminent scientists and experts in the field of (medical) chemical science, biological science, and pharmaceutical science for nomination to the search committees to be constituted by the department.

However, what has raised curious concern is the name of NIPER, Mohali missing from the list. Though Dr Rama Rao, director of NIPER, Mohali had resigned from the post by November middle, the letter sent to ICMR on December 16 did not include the name of this premier institution. Dr Rao, whose extension upto December 31, had drawn criticism as it was reportedly done without the mandatory approval from the office of president.

The department order for the extension of Dr Rao, whose term ended on August 31, had asked him to continue till December 31 or till the appointment of new director, whichever is earlier. But following the controversy, Dr Rao put in papers ahead and the Board of Governors which met on November 17 recommended to the government to accept his resignation. Still, the department is yet to set the ball rolling for selecting a replacement for Dr Rao, while the similar steps are on for other NIPERs.