National Level Pharmacy Exam

📘 Indian National Level Pharmacy Exam – Full Guide

Choosing a pharmacy career in India opens opportunities in drug research, clinical practice, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, and hospital pharmacy. To enter top institutions or secure postgraduate seats, students must appear for national-level pharmacy entrance exams, conducted by central authorities or national bodies.

Below is a complete, deeply explained guide to all major Indian National Level Pharmacy Exams, their eligibility, pattern, syllabus, career scope, and preparation.

📑 National Level Pharmacy Exam in List

Exam Name	Conducting Body	Courses Offered	Eligibility	Exam Pattern	Level
GPAT (Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test)	National Board of Examinations (NBE)	M.Pharm, PhD, GPAT Fellowship	B.Pharm (final year eligible)	125 MCQs, 3 hours, CBT, negative marking	National
NIPER JEE Exam	National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER)	MS(Pharm), M.Pharm, M.Tech(Pharm), MBA(Pharm), PhD	B.Pharm + GPAT score	200 MCQs, 2 hours, negative marking	National
CUET-PG Pharmacy Exam	National Testing Agency (NTA)	M.Pharm, PG in Pharmaceutical Sciences	Bachelor’s in Pharmacy or related field	CBT, domain + aptitude sections	National
BITS HD Pharmacy (BITS Pilani Postgraduate Test)	Birla Institute of Technology & Science	M.Pharm, M.Pharm + MBA	B.Pharm or related degree	100–150 MCQs, online	All-India/National
ICT Mumbai PG Entrance (National Admission)	Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT Mumbai)	M.Pharm (Pharmaceutics, Medicinal Chemistry, etc.)	B.Pharm with minimum marks	Written exam/CBT	National
JNU CEEB / GAT-B (Test-Biotechnology)	Regional Centre for Biotechnology / DBT	M.Sc Biotech, M.Tech Biotech (pharma relevant)	Bachelor’s in related science	2-part exam (MCQ)	National
IIT JAM (for Pharmacy Related MSc)	IITs	M.Sc Chemistry, Biotechnology (pharma aligned)	B.Sc/B.Tech related fields	MCQ, MSQ, NAT format	National
ICAR AIEEA (For Pharma-Agriculture Interface Fields)	National Testing Agency (NTA)	M.Sc Agricultural Chemicals, Biotech	Bachelor’s in related subjects	MCQ-based	National

📚 Exam Wise Detailed Guide Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Career Scope:-

1. GPAT (Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test)

Conducting Body: National Board of Examinations (NBE)

Eligibility

• Must have completed B.Pharm.
• Final-year B.Pharm students can also apply.
• B.Tech (Pharmaceutical + Fine Chemical Technology) is not eligible.

Exam Pattern

• 125 MCQs, 4 marks each.
• 3 hours duration.
• Computer-Based Test (CBT).
• Negative marking: –1 for each wrong answer.

Syllabus

• Physical Pharmacy
• Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Pharmacognosy
• Biochemistry
• Biotechnology
• Microbiology
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Pharmaceutical Analysis
• Hospital & Community Pharmacy
• Dispensing & Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence

Career Scope

• Admission to M.Pharm across India.
• Eligibility for GPAT Fellowship (₹12,400/month stipend).
• Opens doors to research labs, pharma R&D, regulatory affairs, and teaching after postgraduation.
• Used by many colleges for PhD admission.

Why Important?

• It is the national-level standard exam for postgraduate pharmacy admissions.
• Scores accepted by most top pharmacy colleges.
• Provides scholarship, making PG affordable.

2. NIPER JEE

Conducting Body: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER)

Eligibility

• Must have B.Pharm degree.
• Must have a valid GPAT score.
• Minimum marks requirement depends on category.

Exam Pattern

• 200 MCQs.
• 2 hours duration.
• Negative marking applies.

Syllabus

• Based on B.Pharm entire syllabus including:
  • Pharmacology
  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Pharmaceutics
  • Analysis
  • Biotechnology
  • Biochemistry
  • Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence
  • Calculations & basic aptitude

Career Scope

• Admission to India’s top-tier pharmacy institutes (NIPERs).
• Courses include M.Pharm, MS(Pharm), M.Tech (Pharm), MBA (Pharm), PhD.
• Opens doors to high-salary roles:
  • R&D scientist
  • Clinical researcher
  • Regulatory specialist
  • Pharma management roles

Why Important?

• Known as the IIT/IIM of Pharmacy.
• Graduates get the highest placement packages in the pharma industry.

3. CUET-PG (Pharmacy / Pharma Sciences)

Conducting Body: National Testing Agency (NTA)

Eligibility

• Bachelor’s in Pharmacy or allied fields (Chemistry, Life Sciences, Biotech etc.).
• Minimum marks depend on the university.

Exam Pattern

• Computer-Based Test (CBT).
• Consists of:
  • Domain section (Pharmacy topics)
  • Aptitude section (Maths, reasoning, English)

Syllabus

• Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Pharmaceutics
• Pharmacognosy
• Analytical techniques
• General aptitude (quant, verbal, logical reasoning)

Career Scope

• Admission to central and state universities for M.Pharm or PG programs.
• Good for students who want affordable government PG seats.

Why Important?

• Single exam for multiple universities across India.
• Helps students avoid giving multiple separate entrances.

4. BITS HD Pharmacy (BITS Pilani Postgraduate Test)

Conducting Body: Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS Pilani)

Eligibility

• B.Pharm or equivalent degree.
• Minimum 55–60% marks (varies by campus).

Exam Pattern

• 100–150 MCQs, online.
• Sections on Pharmacy + Aptitude.

Syllabus

• Pharmaceutics
• Pharmacology
• Chemistry
• Pharmacognosy
• Logical reasoning & quantitative aptitude

Career Scope

• Admission to M.Pharm or M.Pharm + MBA dual degree.
• Excellent exposure to industry projects & research labs.
• Very strong placement network, especially abroad.

Why Important?

• One of India’s best private research universities.
• Dual degree option helps in management + pharma leadership roles.

5. ICT Mumbai PG Entrance

Conducting Body: Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT Mumbai)

Eligibility

• B.Pharm with minimum required marks (often 55–60%).
• Some courses require GATE/GPAT score.

Exam Pattern

• Written exam or CBT depending on program.
• MCQ format.

Syllabus

• Based on B.Pharm subjects:
  • Pharmaceutics
  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Pharmaceutical Engineering
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Biotechnology

Career Scope

• ICT Mumbai is known for top-class research.
• Strong placement in R&D, chemical industry, formulation development, QA/RA.

Why Important?

• Ranked among India’s best chemical & pharmacy institutes.
• Excellent for students interested in research-oriented careers.

6. JNU CEEB / GAT-B

Conducting Body: Regional Centre for Biotechnology / DBT

Eligibility

• Bachelor’s degree in Biotech, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, Chemistry, etc.
• Minimum 55–60% marks.

Exam Pattern

• Two-part exam (MCQ):
  • Part A: General aptitude
  • Part B: Subject-specific (Biotech, Biology, Chemistry)

Syllabus

• Molecular Biology
• Biochemistry
• Genetics
• Cell biology
• Immunology
• Bioprocess engineering

Career Scope

• Admission to M.Sc and M.Tech Biotechnology programs.
• Opens opportunities in:
  • Clinical research
  • Biopharma R&D
  • Diagnostics
  • Vaccine research
  • Biotech startups

Why Important?

• Conducted by DBT, ensuring high-quality courses and strong placement potential.

7. IIT JAM (for Pharmacy-Aligned MSc Courses)

Conducting Body: IITs

Eligibility

• B.Sc/B.Tech in Chemistry, Biotech, Biological Sciences, etc.
• Mathematics at 10+2 level required for some papers.

Exam Pattern

• MCQ, MSQ, NAT (numerical).
• 3 hours online test.

Syllabus

• Depends on paper (Chemistry/Biotech):
  • Organic, inorganic, physical chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular biology
  • Analytical techniques
  • Microbiology

Career Scope

• Admission to IIT MSc programs which are highly valued in:
  • Pharmaceutical chemistry
  • Research labs
  • Higher studies & PhD in top institutes (IIT/IISc)

Why Important?

• IIT-tagged postgraduation improves research and global career opportunities.

8. ICAR AIEEA (Agriculture–Pharma Interface)

Conducting Body: National Testing Agency (NTA)

Eligibility

• Bachelor’s degree in Biotech, Agriculture, Chemistry, or related fields.
• Minimum 55–60% marks.

Exam Pattern

• MCQ-based online test.
• Covers science + aptitude.

Syllabus

• Agricultural chemistry
• Biotech
• Biology
• Genetics
• Biostatistics
• Soil science
• Applied chemistry

Career Scope

• Leads to PG courses like:
  • M.Sc Agricultural Chemicals
  • Biotech programs
• Jobs in:
  • Agrochemical industries
  • Fertilizer companies
  • Food & pharma interface industries
  • Government agricultural labs

Why Important?

• Good option for pharmacy/life science students interested in agro-pharma sectors.

📌 Career Opportunities After National-Level Pharmacy Exams

• Industrial Pharmacist
• Drug Inspector
• Clinical Research Associate
• Formulation Scientist
• Regulatory Affairs Associate
• Pharmacovigilance Specialist
• Research Scientist
• Hospital Pharmacist
• Teaching & Academia (After M.Pharm)

FAQs: