Lucknow University has decided to launch a dedicated institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, in a bid to widen the bandwidth of educational provisions for pharmacy aspirants. The varsity is set to open this institute over 8,170 square meters of its second campus in Jankipuram. Reportedly, the finance committee has given the penultimate approval to start the institute as a sub-set of the engineering faculty. The proposal will now be tabled before the Executive Committee on June 11, for final approval.
Pharmacy institute is a need amid the pandemic hour
A three-storeyed high-tech building will be set up to centre the proposed IPS. This institute will be equipped with 4 advanced and modern laboratories, giving it the leverage to develop into a dedicated research centre soon. The institute will be a single unit that will centre the lab facilities for microbiology, pharmaceutical chemistry, central instrumentation, biotechnology, human anatomy physiology and pharmacognosy.
IPS Director Naveen Khare said, “The main objective of the institute is to excel in pharmacy education, engage in cutting edge research to advance healthcare and drug discovery which is the need of the hour in the time of Covid pandemic. Innovative research in pharmaceutical, biomedical, and clinical sciences and practices will be in focus.”
A one-year timeline has been drafted to complete the construction of the centres. Until then, the pharmacy classes will be conducted in the engineering faculty.
Courses offered by IPS:
Official sources have informed that Lucknow University IPS will offer two self-financed courses – Bachelor in Pharmacy (B.Pharma) with 100 seats and Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharma) with 60 seats. The varsity will appoint 33 contractual faculties to facilitate these programs. The B.Pharma course will be a 4-year (eight-semester) program, while the D.Pharma will be a 2-year, annual pattern course.
The application of the two courses for the academic session of 2020-202 will shortly commence, once the Pharmacy Council of India grants the final approval to the university. A total of 4 departments will run at the IPS, including pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacology and pharmacognosy. It may also launch the M.Pharma course after two years as per the policy of the Pharmacy Council of India, New Delhi.
