In order to develop analytical and technical knowledge of pharmacy students in Quality Control of Biologicals, National Institute of Biologicals (NIB) functioning under the Union health ministry organised a two-week long training session for post graduate students of pharmacy from National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Kolkata.

The training session which is also in line with NIB mandate as laid down in Memorandum of Association will also help create awareness about global scenario of Biologicals testing and Laboratory Quality Management System as per ISO: 17025.

Themed as National Skill Development and Hands-on-Training on Quality Control of Biologicals, the programme designed exclusively for pharmacy post graduate students of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Kolkata offered hands-on training in areas of bio-therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics, blood products and blood group serology in techniques like HPLC, electrophoresis, ELISA, bacterial endotoxin testing, cell culture aseptic handling, sub-culturing and maintenance, cell line based potency assays, animal handling and use of laboratory animals in QC testing of biologicals.

The two weeks session was held between 25 July 2016 and 05 August 2016 at NIB, NOIDA. NIB is currently organizing a three-week training for 26 students of NIPER Guwahati which started from 08 August 2016 and will conclude on 26 August 2016 and 32 students of NIPER Punjab from 22 August 2016 and 10 September 2016. In continuation to this NIB will also organize similar training programmes each for 30 pharmacy post graduate students for all other 04 NIPER Institutes in the country.

As a part of the programme, training is also provided on Haemovigilance Programme of India (HvPI), Haemo-vigil software and planning and carrying out a National Drug Survey for Spurious and NSQ Drugs in the Country.

This initiative which is in accordance with NIB mandate 3.1.4 as laid down in Memorandum of Association will facilitate in building up of a “National Talent Pool of skilled and trained manpower” for the indigenous manufacturing, domestic consumption and export of biologicals.

This will help bridge the gap in Quality Control of Biologicals in government and private sector as there is an acute shortage of skilled and hands-on trained manpower in the field of biologicals.

This training programme further has been initiated keeping in mind the Prime minister Narendra Modi - Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) which emphasizes on “Skilling is building a better India. If we have to move India towards development then Skill development should be our mission”.

The Hands-on-training training is given in Quality control of biologicals in NABL accredited and CDL notified laboratories of NIB. The training sessions also include lectures and presentations from distinguished and eminent speakers from the institute and academia.