There has been a significant move towards specialised areas such as biologics, data science and biotechnology
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India has historically been a pioneer in pharmaceutical education, with its first pharmaceutical sciences department being founded in 1932. In the last 10 years, shifts in demographics, affordability and increased life expectancy have significantly impacted healthcare demands worldwide. As nations adapt to these demographic changes, their healthcare needs have evolved, resulting in a transformation in the types of medications required.
Recently, there has been a significant move towards specialised areas such as biologics, data science, biotechnology, regulatory affairs, and advanced manufacturing methods, Regulations have become rapidly quality-driven. Even premier institutions have been facing challenges of a rapidly evolving landscape and the required skill sets.
Globally, many countries have adopted strategies to enhance workforce skills, with a focus on digital transformation emphasising skills related to AI, robotics, and ML to drive efficiencies in drug discovery, manufacturing and supply chain management. Pharma companies in developed regions like the US, Europe, and Japan have set up initiatives to provide ongoing education and training to their workforce. Collaborations between pharmaceutical companies and universities have increased to create tailored curriculums and training programmes for specialised fields. Closer home, the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has many success stories, including recombinant FSH.
The evolving needs of Indian pharma industry encompass advanced skills in areas like biologics, AI, and automation. While there is a rise in educational institutions offering pharma-related courses, there is still a shortage of specialised training centres and hands-on experience for advanced technologies in manufacturing and R&D. Also, there needs to be a merger of technical and biology verticals for the current pharmaceutical industry needs.
Emerging skills
To propel India’s pharma sector forward, developing programmes aimed at equipping the workforce with emerging skills like data analytics, AI in drug discovery, and automation in manufacturing are needed. LSSSDC is working in this direction, but it has been noticed that industries prefer to skill/train their manpower on their own and do not ask educational institutes for skilling. Expanding state-of-the-art training facilities can simulate real-world environments, particularly for AI/ML/digital twining /automation. The curriculum needs to be flexible, and the future workforce should be supported in acquiring global certifications which can elevate India’s pharma standing globally.
The adoption of AI, ML and digital platforms has transformed drug discovery and manufacturing processes. This has necessitated new skill sets, and we must gear up for it as production and digitisation have seen a paradigm shift.
The writer is Director, NIPER, Raebareli. Views are personal
Published on May 21, 2025
