Dr. Sonia Singh, who is serving as a principal, has completed her M.Pharm. and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics. She has 16.5 years of academic and 18 years of industrial experience in R&D. Her area of specialization is pharmacology. She has commercialized over 100 formulations for local markets and exports in the industry, received FDA approval for instrumental analysis, and won the state-level Savitribai Phule Award in 2009 and the Best Principal of Campus award in 2011. She is a registered pharmacist with MPCI and an approved inspector with PCI. She is in charge of various committees, including the Admission Committee, IQAC Committee, Grievance Redressal Committee, College Development Committee, and Institutional Ethics Committee. She has received a BCUD Project for a 1.0 L research grant and guided 45 students for M.Pharm. projects and 20 students for UG projects. She has published eight national research papers and carried out 45 M.Pharm. projects and 20 B. Pharm. projects.

Alard College of Pharmacy

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the higher education industry and how is your college addressing those challenges?

Getting practical exposure from the courses studied is the biggest challenge that we are facing. The college focuses on providing practical experience to students in the pharmacy industry as well as knowledge sessions from industry experts so that the students can make use of their experience and opinions. Coming back to the topic of practical experience, we provide opportunities for industrial visits to various sectors of the pharmaceutical industry. Students are provided internships where they can work with companies to develop the skills they need to be industry-ready.

What new initiatives and collaborations has the college established with the Industry or the Pharmacy sector?

The college has tie-ups with many industry players for live project work, not just for students but for the staff to help them regularly update their knowledge base as per current requirements. Apart from that, we have collaborations with companies like New Life Pharmaceuticals and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals to conduct webinars and seminars so that the students get to know the latest trends and work practices of the industry of which they are going to be a part. We also provide consultation to small industries through the experience of our faculties.

Is there anything that you would like the world to know about your college, that they do not already know?

We focus on the overall development of students at our college. We don’t just work on making them skilled in pharmacy-related subjects; we also teach them the values and virtues that help them become better citizens and professionals. Several of our previous students are doing well in various aspects of their professional lives due to these qualities. We provide students with additional value-added courses that help them gain more knowledge apart from the curriculum. The students here learn different skills, which add value to their resumes.

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What are your primary responsibilities and how do you balance other aspects of your job?

As the college head, my primary responsibility is towards the all-round development of the students, right from academics to training and internships. I also look at certain aspects of teacher training, which is one of the key aspects of the student’s present and future endeavors. I try to focus more on the first-year students. The college has an in-built student core council that works on the student's problems. There has been a training and placement department, a cultural committee, staff who deal with dignitaries and industry experts who conduct seminars and webinars, and a research committee. So, I have coordinated with all the staff and committees to ensure smooth work in college.

What are your future plans and work you want to implement in college forward?

Apart from trying to give better experiences to students in terms of internships, live projects, etc., we are also working on more suitable teacher training methods and evaluations. On top of that, we also plan on providing a better campus experience to students to make the learning journey more comfortable and fun.

What is the scope of this education when it comes to the real world, and how can the students make a career out of it?

There are several opportunities for students after finishing their college education in this field. They can join companies in the same sector, start their startups, work for NGOs, etc. They can also try getting into government-led institutions through various exams. Students also opt for higher studies and get into research work.

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

The students should recognize their area of interest and not just go with what is popular in society. I always tell my students to discuss with peers, professors, etc. for better and more informed decisions. Students and newcomers to the industry should work on acquiring new and futuristic skills. They should focus on their overall development by working on their CVs and taking more courses to enhance their skills, which would help them have a prosperous career in their field.

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How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

The curriculum is well-planned and follows the regulatory board guidelines. The students are taught with recent knowledge, which will help them when they join the pharma industry. The students have to work on projects that give them a practical approach. In the skills enhancement programs, students can take various courses that will help them prepare for their careers.

What were the challenges that you faced while inculcating the courses in college and how did you handle it?

The challenge is to provide practical experience for students along with the curriculum. We have various seminars and webinars given by industry experts to provide practical experience. The students have to work on different projects each academic year to get hands-on experience with the knowledge they have gained. The other challenge is to bridge the gap between new trends and the curriculum so that students learn about new techniques and knowledge. We provide additional courses to students to gain extra knowledge apart from the curriculum. Different training programs are conducted for students as well as faculties.