The Catholic Church in India has a special role to play in the field of education, health care and social welfare of the Indian community, which is fulfilling it through the different activities. The Catholic Diocese of Irinjalakuda in connection with the sacerdotal Silver Jubilee of the His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. James Pazhayattil (First Bishop of Diocese of Irinjalakuda) instituted St. James Hospital Trust and started a multi-specialty hospital in the year 1989. His vision has long been guiding the educational activities of the Diocese of Irinjalakuda. In the silver Jubilee year of the Diocese of Irinjalakuda, the hospital trust gave birth to an offshoot- St. James Medical Academy.
St. James’ College Of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SJCOPS) has been actively engaged in nurturing and fostering quality human resources to meet the needs of the community and industry through well-structured pharmaceutical from the establishment year 2004. The Government of India –National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions as per notification declared this institution as a Minority Educational Institution covered under article 30 of the constitution of India. St. James’ College of Pharmaceutical Sciences provides all the standard knowledge about the drugs and its manufacturing, R&D, QAQC, formulation, clinical pharmacy and its application in different areas fields of pharmaceutical sciences. Every year our college tops in every stream of pharmacy and secured university rank in all courses. Apart from academic glories, our college actively participates in cultural events in state and national level competitions and won prizes several times. The college organizes and conducts several workshops, conferences, seminars, symposia and exhibitions to update the knowledge of the pharmaceutical community and to the society.
The St. James’ Hospital Trust Pharmaceutical Research Centre (SJHTPRC)approved by DSIR,New Delhi, is committed to R&D activities in the field of Pharmaceuticals to become a centre of excellence. The SJCOPS is the only pharmacy college under Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) having Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) certification from the Ministry of Science and Technology, New Delhi. The SJHTPRC had technology transfers with pharmaceutical industries and also completed the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) Funded Project. SJCOPS receives PG student project financial assistance from Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment (KSCSTE), Thiruvanathapuram on every year. St James Hospital and SJCOPS having Pharmacovigilance Centre and Materiovigilance Centre approved by Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) an autonomous institution of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Govt. of India) for the activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding, reporting and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related problem and medical devices. Our college is also equipped with software and sophisticated instruments lab for studies and research activities in different areas of pharmaceutical sciences. Our Drug Information Centre in the Department of Pharmacy Practice have the software Lexicomp which provides clear, concise, point-of-care drug information, including dosing, administration, warnings and precautions, as well as clinical content as online reference.
In SJCOPS, the environment of study is very disciplined which motivates each student to strive hard & assuring self-confidence and enrich a winning attitude. So many students of this college contribute their service in the reputed pharmaceutical industry as well as in the government sector. The alumni are well placed in different arenas of the pharmaceutical field, all over the world and work as a good network that helps to continue the legacy of SJCOPS. The SJCOPS- Alumni Association “NEXUS”, gave birth to two off shoots named Oushadhavijnan-The Research club and Poonchola-The Nature club. Nexus sponsors funds to publish research/review articles in the Journal of Pharma Innovative Research (JPIR). The Nexus along with placement cell conducts and coordinates the placement activities in our college named Oushada Udhyogamela.The college is also having a nature club named “Poonchola” to promote nature protection awareness and to equip the student community to act on various environmental issues. We conduct regular activities and maintains “Nakshatravanam” and Herbal Garden on the college campus. This green campus of SJCOPS provides a perfect environment to achieve the career goals of the students and provides good citizens to the community.