The ministry of chemicals and fertilizers has taken an in-principle decision to set up a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical educational institution of national importance in the North East.

The institute, likely to come up in Assam, would be structured on the lines of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), the country's first national level institute in pharmaceutical sciences. While NIPER is meant as a centre of excellence for advanced studies and research in pharmaceutical sciences, the proposed institution may even conduct under graduate courses.

According to sources, an expert committee has been set up by the C&F ministry to recommend the most appropriate model for the new institution. The C&F ministry has decided to encourage the HRD in pharmaceutical sciences in a big way. Once the North East NIPER materialises, the government may even think of promoting similar institutions in other regions of the country as well. The idea is to strengthen the base of Indian expertise in pharmaceutical sciences to face the challenges of future.

It should be noted that the centre had declared NIPER, an autonomous body set up under the aegis of ministry of C&F, as an 'Institute of National Importance'. The primary focus of the Institute is to provide leadership in pharmaceutical sciences and related areas not only within the country, but also to the countries in South East Asia, South Asia and Africa. NIPER is a member of Association of Indian Universities and Association of Commonwealth Universities.