The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021

• The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in Lok Sabha on March 15, 2021.
• It was recently cleared by the Rajyasabha.

About the bill:

• It seeks to amend the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998.
• The 1998 Act established the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab and declared it as an Institution of National Importance.
• The institutes of national importance receive funding from the central government.
• There are also provisions for ensuring representation of SC/ST and women in the bill.

New institutions of national importance

• The Bill declares six additional National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research as Institutions of National Importance.
• These institutes are located in: (i) Ahmedabad, (ii) Hajipur, (iii) Hyderabad, (iv) Kolkata, (v) Guwahati, and (vi) Raebareli.

Establishment of the Council

• It provides for a Council to coordinate the activities among the institutes under the Bill to ensure 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,
• examining and approving development plans of the institutes, and
• examining annual budget estimates of the institutes for recommendations to the central government for allocation of funds.

Composition of the Council:

• the Minister in charge of the Ministry or department of the central government having administrative control of pharmaceuticals (ex officio), as the Chairperson,
• the Minister of State of the Ministry or department of the central government having administrative control of the pharmaceuticals (ex officio), as the Vice-Chairperson,
• the Chairperson of each Board of Governors (ex officio),
• the Director of every institute (ex officio),
• the Chairperson of All India Council for Technical Education (ex officio),
• the Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (ex officio), and
• three Members of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha).

Board of Governors

• The Act constituted a Board of Governors for control and management of the institute’s affairs.

• The Act specifies 23 members in the Board including:

• (i) an eminent academician or professional as Chairperson,

• (ii) the Director of the institute (ex officio),

• (iii) two pharmaceutical industrialists, and

• (iv) three Members of Parliament.

• The Bill reduces the number of members in the Board of Governors for each institute to 12. *The Board will be chaired by an eminent academician or professional.

• The ex officio members of the Board will be:

• (i) the Director of the institute,

• (ii) the Joint Secretary to the central government in Department of Pharmaceuticals dealing with national institutes of pharmaceutical education and research,

• (iii) the Secretary dealing with medical or technical education in the concerned state government, and

• (iv) a representative of the Drug Controller General of India.

• Other members will include:

• (i) three pharmaceutical experts (at least one must be a woman) with certain special knowledge,

• (ii) two pharmaceutical industrialists, and

• (iii) two professors of the institute.