The Goa College of Pharmacy has received the approval from state government to shift its base in the premises of Goa University which will enable the college to begin the Pharm D course in the near future.

Arun Naik, chairman and other members of the management council of Goa College of Pharmacy, Panaji-Goa had recently met the Chief Minister of Goa Laxmikant Parsekar and submitted a detailed proposal of shifting the college to Goa University Campus at Bambolim. Considering the need of shifting the college, the government gave a nod to build a complex for college within the Goa University Campus.

Arun Naik, says, “We are extremely pleased and thankful to the Chief Minister for his prompt action in the matter. The government is very seriously considering shifting professional colleges by creating a special complex for such colleges within the Goa University Campus.”

The Goa College of Pharmacy was planning to move its base to the premises of the Goa University, at Bambolim, Goa, so that it can begin the Pharm D course in the near future. But since it required attached hospital close by, it could not materialise due to lack of space in the college premises.

Explaining the need of shifting the college, Naik says, “We hope the new pharmacy college gets ready in the shortest possible time of an year or so, so that the ambitious plans proposed by the management council to start new branches at post-graduate level and a patient/industry oriented courses like the 6 year PharmD are materialised.”

He also adds, “The intake capacity of B Pharm can also be increased to 90 from the present 60 so that the needs of the local pharmaceutical industry are fully met. There is a hurdle in starting the same in the present premises in Panjim since there is no space available and expansion is also not possible. A full-fledged campus with various amenities will give a better ambiance and more infrastructural facilities to students and faculty to excel.”

The management council is thankful to the Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, himself an educationist and his prompt action will surely encourage people in the education field to contribute more to the progress of education in Goa, said Naik.

The Goa University had already agreed to the initiative of shifting the college to its premises but they were waiting to seek consent from the government authorities as it is one of the oldest pharmacy colleges in Asia and the only one run by the government.