Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research.PCSIR
Pakistan Council of Scientific Industrial Research (PCSIR) was established 1953 under societies act to promote the cause of science and technology in the country. Since 1973, it is functioning under the act of parliament which was amended in 1984. Chief Executive of the council is the Chairman who is appointed by the Federal Government. The 21- member council is the policy making body of the PCSIR, which is composed of Chairman, three member of the Governing Body, four Director Generals of PCSIR Laboratories, four representatives from four ministers, four Directors of Industries, on from each province and six representative of the industry. The Governing Body is the executive organ of the council and comprises of the Chairman and three full-time members viz member (Science), Member (Technology) and Member (Finance), nominated by the Government. The Head office of the PCSIR is functioning at Islamabad where offices of the Chairman, Member (Science), Member (Technology) and Member (Finance) and Secretary PCSIR are located.
There are eleven laboratories / Units and five HRD Centres established throughout the country, headed by Director Generals/ Directors who directly report to the Chairman
The Lahore Laboratories Complex formerly known as the West Regional Laboratories started functioning with staff in a wing of the Punjab Universities, Institute of Chemistry in 1953. This setup was shifting in 1956 to the present permanent site for which 68.5 acres of the land were earmarked by the Punjab Government in 1955.
The Lahore unit of PCSIR has as commendable record of achievements. Its scientists and technologists boost of having completed more than 500 processes. Many of these are in commercial production. As many as 100 processes have been patented. In addition to applied research, their level of accomplishment in basis research, the feedback for applied research, is further evident from more than 3500 research publication in journal of national and international stands.
The laboratories are assisting the academic institutions by providing facilities to their M.Sc., MPhil and Phd. students which to date can be counted in thousands Various Centres and Divisions are manned by highly trained researchers. Necessary additional facilities such as workshops, libraries and pilot plants are adequately available to meet the R&D support needs.
Besides this LLC is also assigning the industry in public / private sector and Government department for compliance the products according to WTO regimes like TBT & SPS for their sustainability in the global market. For the purpose, quality services under ISO/ IEC 17025 : 2005 are being extended to the exporters, importers and manufacturers etc., throughout Pakistan multidimensional areas of testing and calibration. PCSIR labs. Complex lahore is also certified under ISO 9001:2008 by TUV nord Germany
PCSIR Labs Complex Lahore has the following functional centres under its umbrella:
- Applied Chemistry Research Centre
- Applied Physics, Computers and Research Centre
- Centre for Environmental Protection Studies
- Centre for Development of Laboratory Equipment
- Electrical Measurement Test Laboratory
- Engineering Services Centre
- Food and Biotechnology Research Centre
- Glass & Ceramics Research Centre
- Mineral Processing Research Centre
- Pakistan Institute of Technology for Minerals & Advance Engineering Materials (PITMAEM)
PCSIR has realigned itself as a cost effective technology solution provider for public and private industrial sector especially for SMEs.
Objective Of PCSIR
- Optimum utilization of indigenous raw material resources for the development of industrial processes.
- Development of technologies around local resources from bench to pilot plant stages, and leasing them out for industrial exploitation leading to import substitution and export enhancement.
- To conduct R&D work on problems faced by the industrial sector and maintain linkages through seminars, workshops, publications and provision of assistance to academic institutions
- To undertake cooperative research with local and foreign R&D organizations and commerce-industrial outfits on projects of national interest
- Human resource development organized training courses and diffusive on-job grooming of manpower for industry and research centres to broaden the science & technology base in the country
From 1953 to 2000 the institution developed 647 technological processes (average 15 per year ) and obtained about 360 patents (Average 8 per year). About 3750 research papers were published between 1953-2000 by PCSIR ( Average 80 per year).