Mysore/Mysuru: If everything goes as per plans, Mysuru is likely to get a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) as the city is ideally suited for it. Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha has pitched for its establishment and has approached Bhagawanth Khuba, Minister of State, Chemicals and Fertilisers, New and Renewable Energy, with a proposal.

Meeting the Minister in New Delhi yesterday, the MP stated that students from all over India and abroad regularly flock to Mysuru to do their graduate and post-graduate studies.

The NIPER can add to the list of many engineering, medical, law, business colleges that are operating from Mysuru and moreover, two of India’s prestigious labs — Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI) and Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), a unit of DRDO — are headquartered in Mysuru. They can provide excellent research collaboration opportunities with NIPER, Simha stated.

Mysuru has 50 small-medium, and large pharmaceutical companies, thus making it an ideal place for NIPER. Besides, Bengaluru, the pharmaceutical hub of South India is just 110 kms away. So, locating the NIPER centre in Mysuru will act as a regional force multiplier in building a strong academics and industry collaboration which will be mutually beneficial, the MP noted.

Also, the land for NIPER Mysuru can be allocated at the earliest, he added. It may be mentioned here that NIPER has been recognised as an institute of national importance following the NIPER (Amendment) Bill 2021 passed in the Lok Sabha. The Bill enhanced the status of six NIPERs in India making the institute autonomous with freedom to hold examinations, grant degrees and other academic distinctions or titles and will be entitled to receive Central funding. At present, NIPER is located in Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Hajipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Raebareli.