India has gradually evolved as a knowledge-based economy due to the abundance of capable, flexible and qualified human capital. However, the industry laments that quite a good percentage of our turnouts from colleges / universities are not immediately employable. This is because of the lack of proper Industry-Institute interface.

Further, exciting advances in Pharmaceutical Technology over the past few years resulting in setting up of a number of US FDA & other Foreign Regulatory approved Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Industries and Clinical Research Organizations in India and implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices under Schedule M of Drugs and Cosmetic Rules 1945 opened up opportunities and challenges in Pharmaceutical Skill Development with focus on GMPs, GLP, GCP, GDP, Calibrations, Qualifications, Validations, Deviations and Change Controls, Quality Assurance, Drug Regulatory Affairs etc. But unfortunately proper weightage is not given to the above topics in the regular curriculum of the Universities. Further, some amount of industrial exposure to the students is needed for them to better appreciate these topics. Lack of faculty with industrial exposure is also a major constraint.

Hence the necessity of these Skill Development Centers need not be emphasized any further.