The demand for establishing an IIT-like institution at the national level for pharmacy education in India dates back to 1975. After receiving several representations from pharmacy professionals, the Government of India gave its consent. A formal announcement was made by the then Prime Minister, Late Rajiv Gandhi, while inaugurating the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress in 1985.
Eminent pharmacy exponents—educationists like Prof. Harkishan Singh of Punjab University, scientists like Dr. Nitya Anand (Central Drug Research Institute), and industry leaders like Dr. Parminder Singh (Ranbaxy Laboratories)—played instrumental roles in envisioning such an institution. The deliberations during those formative meetings reflected their commitment to establishing a model institution dedicated to excellence in pharmaceutical education and research. These visionaries were the founding architects of what would become a national symbol of academic and research excellence in pharmaceutical sciences.
About three and a half decades ago, their dream materialized. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), established at Mohali, Punjab, became the first national-level institute in pharmaceutical sciences, with the stated goal of evolving into a centre of excellence for advanced studies and research. Declared an ‘Institute of National Importance’ by the Government of India, NIPER functions as an autonomous body under the aegis of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
NIPER was conceived to provide leadership not just within India but across South and Southeast Asia and Africa, in both pharmaceutical education and research. Its vision is clear: “To become a globally recognized brand in education and research in pharmaceutical sciences for the benefit of people in India and other countries and the growth of the pharmaceutical industry.” Its mission lays out the strategic path to achieve this.
The Institute identified several thrust areas of research early on: tuberculosis, malaria, leishmaniasis, diabetes, and immunomodulation. These areas, especially tropical and neglected diseases, were chosen by the founding team keeping in mind the global neglect in developing effective drugs, better screening protocols, and improved formulations. These diseases disproportionately affect populations in tropical regions and often do not receive the attention they deserve from Western research organizations. NIPER-Mohali was thus expected to fill this critical gap and deliver meaningful advances in these domains. Expectations from NIPER-Mohali have always been high, particularly in terms of contributing to novel drug discovery and treatment innovations in these neglected areas.
However, a review of NIPER’s annual reports reveals a glaring omission: there is no mention of any technology transfers or drug development efforts related to the declared thrust areas. Further, a scan of patents granted over 22 years (2002–2024), as published on NIPER-Mohali’s official website, shows that only about 12 patents have been awarded with relevance to the thrust areas. The breakdown: 7 related to antitubercular drugs, 3 to antidiabetic drugs, and 2 to antimalarial drugs. Shockingly, not a single patent has been granted for work on antileishmanial research.
This is a disheartening reflection of how seriously (or not) the institute has taken its stated research priorities. For an institution established specifically to lead in such areas, this meagre output raises serious questions.
To underscore the urgency, an editorial in eBioMedicine (January 2023), a journal published by The Lancet, stated:
“Leishmania is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) and the second biggest parasitic killer in the world, after malaria. There are between 700,000 and 1 million new cases reported annually worldwide. Treatment remains challenging, and many still rely on compounds with toxic side effects. More than 20 species of parasites cause leishmaniasis, so use of the same treatment regimens in multiple regions is difficult. Therefore, novel treatments for leishmania are urgently needed.”
— Leishmania: an urgent need for new treatments, eBioMedicine, Volume 87, 104440
This should have been a call to action. Instead, it highlights the disconnect between NIPER-Mohali’s founding objectives and its current research output.
Given these facts, it is imperative that a scientific audit be undertaken to assess the institute’s actual research efforts and ensure alignment with its declared thrust areas. The nation cannot afford to let an institution of such importance drift away from its mission.
