JAMMU: The four-day hands-on training programme on extraction and formulation of medicinal plants under current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) concluded at CSIR–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, reinforcing the institute’s commitment to skill development in India’s fast-growing phytopharmaceutical and herbal sector.
Organised under the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative, the programme brought together 15 participants from across the country, including PhD scholars, postgraduate students, research associates and startup founders working in herbal and skincare products.
The training provided end-to-end exposure to the value chain — from raw material handling and solvent extraction to formulation development, quality control, packaging and regulatory compliance in a cGMP-regulated pilot plant environment.
Addressing the valedictory session, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM Jammu, emphasized the urgent need to modernize India’s traditional medicine systems and align them with global regulatory frameworks.
He encouraged participants to move beyond theoretical knowledge and focus on quality, safety, authenticity and standardization of herbal products.
He highlighted that India possesses immense biodiversity wealth, particularly in medicinal plants, but must integrate traditional systems such as Ayurveda with modern drug discovery frameworks, including phytopharmaceutical guidelines issued by the Government of India.
Stressing the importance of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), he said such regulatory adherence is essential to position Indian formulations in the global market.
Dr. Ahmed also welcomed critical feedback from participants and acknowledged suggestions for extending the duration of such courses and expanding modules to include additional formulations such as skincare products.
He informed that the institute has already initiated long-duration skill development programmes ranging from three to six months in analytical techniques, medicinal chemistry and cGMP operations for deeper industrial exposure.
Earlier, Dr. Rajkishor Rai, Senior Scientist and Head of the Quality Management & Instrumentation (QMI) Division, noted that the training successfully bridged the gap between academic knowledge and industrial herbal processing.
He said participants gained practical understanding of extraction types, solvent selection, formulation techniques for tablets, capsules and syrups, stability studies and regulatory compliance aligned with national and global standards.
He stressed that adherence to cGMP ensures product quality, safety and efficacy, which are critical for regulatory acceptance by bodies such as WHO and other international agencies.
Congratulating the participants, he said their certificates represent not just attendance but demonstrated engagement in regulated manufacturing practices.
On the concluding day, participants attended a technical lecture on the importance of stability studies in determining shelf life of AYUSH formulations, where regulatory expectations and scientific parameters for ensuring product quality over time were discussed in detail.
This was followed by a hands-on session on syrup batch formulation in the cGMP plant, giving trainees real-time exposure to manufacturing protocols, in-process controls and documentation practices under regulated conditions.
The sessions were conducted by Dr. Anil Kumar Katare, Senior Principal Scientist, QMI Division, along with Sh. Ashok Bhargava, Technical Officer, who guided participants through practical aspects of formulation and compliance requirements.
Throughout the four days, trainees visited advanced QC/QA facilities, tissue culture laboratories and the institute’s Chatha farm to understand captive cultivation practices and the importance of high-quality raw materials for downstream processing.
Participants widely appreciated the structured blend of lectures and practical sessions, particularly the step-by-step extraction processes and tablet, capsule and syrup formulation exercises.
Many said the industrial exposure would significantly strengthen their research projects and startup ventures.
While the feedback was largely positive, some participants suggested longer-duration programmes to allow deeper technical immersion and inclusion of additional formulation categories beyond conventional dosage forms.
The vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Nasir ul Rasheed, Principal Scientist and coordinator of skill development initiatives, who acknowledged the leadership support and organizing team.
He highlighted that CSIR-IIIM has expanded its hands-on training approach in recent years, introducing structured, job-oriented skill programmes lasting up to six months to enhance employability and industrial readiness.
Organizers stated that the initiative aligns with CSIR’s broader vision of building skilled manpower for India’s expanding phytopharmaceutical, nutraceutical and herbal industries, while enabling startups and young researchers to translate India’s rich medicinal plant biodiversity into globally competitive products.
The event concluded with the distribution of certificates to all participants, marking the successful completion of the four-day intensive hands-on training programme.
