RS PASSES BILL ON PHARMA INSTITUTES, RESEARCH

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed ‘The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill 2021’ which seeks to accord the status of Institutions of National Importance to six more institutes in different states as well as set up a council for these institutes.

The Bill was passed with a voice vote and 21 members took part in the debate. In his concluding remark, while participating in the debate, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the Bill will empower the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) and support the research.

The Bill will encourage high-quality research as it accords the status of Institutions of National Importance to six more institutes at Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Hajipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Rae Bareli. These six more institutes are linked to pharmaceutical education and research.

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research at Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Hajipur in Bihar, Hyderabad in Telangana and Kolkata in West Bengal was established on September 6, 2007, while similar institutes in Guwahati in Assam and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh were established on August 5, 2008, and September 26 in 2008 respectively.

The Bill amends the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998 that established the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), at Mohali in Punjab. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday. However, it was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 15 this year. An Institution of National Importance refers to an autonomous institute established under an Act, with the power to hold examinations, grant degrees, diplomas and other academic distinctions or titles. These institutes of national importance receive funding from the central government.

The Bill provides for a Council to coordinate the activities among the institutes under the Bill to ensure the development of pharmaceutical education and research and maintenance of standards.

Functions of the Council include advising on matters related to course duration, and admission standards in the institutes; formulating policies for recruitment, conditions of service, and fees.