The Centre will initiate steps to find a new director for the premier National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) S.A.S Nagar, Punjab, after the current director Prof. P Rama Rao failed to shore up support in the board of governors for an extension permissible under the statutes.

However, Rao whose five-year term has expired on August 31, 2009 will continue as caretaker arrangement till a new director is appointed, according to the Department of Pharmaceuticals sources. The process including inviting application for the post of director will begin shortly.

"In exercise of the powers vested in the First Statutes of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), I am directed to convey that Dr. P. Rama Rao, director, NIPER, Mohali, shall continue as director, NIPER upto 31st December, 2009 or till the order of appointment of director, NIPER, Mohali is issued, or till further orders, whichever is earlier,'' the officiating registrar of the institute said in communiqué quoting the order from the DoP.

Though Rao, whose appointment itself in 2004 was mired in controversy, was trying for an extension which can be upto another five years, he could not gain confidence of the Board, it is learnt. The proposal for extension was included in the agenda for the recent meeting of the board on August 29, but it was withdrawn in the last minute after he failed secure enough support among the directors.

Reliable sources said many of the directors of the board were not happy about the performance of the director. The chairman of the board of governors, Dr T Ramasami who is the secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, even offered to step down from his post in July reportedly being unhappy with the goings in the premier institute. The tenure of Rao also witnessed many instances of criticism from different quarters, other than the board itself.

It was also alleged that Rao whose term was to expire on August 31 did not initiative steps for finding a new director, hoping that he could continue in the post as his predecessor Dr C L Kaul who was the director for two consecutive terms. The board of governors now wants to set the things in order in the institute with a new man in the helm of affairs, it is learnt.