Pharmacy

About Pharmacy

Pharmacy is right up in there amongst the mainstream list of careers and it isn't changing anytime soon with the advent of new diseases and ailments with each passing day.

From Zakariya Al-Razi's classic monographs on different contagious diseases in 854-925 CE to Alexander Fleming's invention of the Penicillin in 1928, Pharmacists have had a crucial role to play in shaping modern medicine and saving countless lives since the ancient ages.

The study of pharmacy essentially deals with the manufacturing and appropriate distribution of pharmaceutical drugs. These days, a pharmacist's job is just not to produce medicines, verify prescriptions and dispense drugs, but to also educate patients regarding basic health care measures, recommend medication and regulate the dosage if necessary.

Due to an erratic climate, rising pollution and unhealthy sanitary practices, the world in general is seeing an alarming rise in people falling sick with common and chronic illnesses. In the wake of such a rise, the demand for pharmacists is at an all-time high.

If you're considering taking it up as an occupation, don't think twice as it's a noble job with a solid pay package. Interestingly, Pharmacy isn't as diverse as other streams of medical studies, yet, it does offer a pretty decent catalogue of courses to choose from. You can take a look at them below:

There are only a handful of Diploma courses available in Pharmacy as the focus is mainly on Graduation and Post Graduation courses.

  • Diploma In Pharmacy (D.Pharm) (2 years)
  • Diploma in Pharmaceutical Management (1 year)
  • Diploma in Veterinary Pharmacy (2 years)

Eligibility and Cutoff

  • You are required to clear Class 12 or any equivalent examination from the Science stream. The cut-off for the general category is 50% while the SC/ST/OBCs need to meet the 45% cap.
  • Entrance exams are conducted by a few institutes
Cut off Marks for diploma

Average Fees

10,000 to 2.3 lakhs per year.

Average Fees for diploma

Even though undergraduate degrees in Pharmacy are quite popular, there is a scarcity in terms of specialties as the most popular course - B.Pharm., covers all grounds. There a few alternatives nonetheless:

  • Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) (4 years)
  • Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutics (3 years)
  • Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) in Pharmacology (3 years)
  • Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (3 years)
  • Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) in Pharmacognosy (3 years)
  • Bachelor of Ayurvedic Pharmacy (4 years)
  • Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) in Unani (3 years)
  • Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons.) (3 years)

An integrated course is also offered wherein you can do a B.Pharm. along with a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) for a duration of 5 years.

Eligibility and cut-off marks

  • A candidate is required to clear Class 12 with subjects Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) or Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB), or Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology (PCMB).
  • Most institutes would need you to undergo one of the verified Pharmacy entrance exams to be eligible for admission. Entrance tests such as Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT) and Manipal University Online Entrance Test (MU OET) are some of the university level exams that are most popular. Additionally, each state has its own Pharmacy entrance test which is accepted in its respective state. Some of the notable ones include West Bengal Join Entrance Examinations Pharmacy (WBJEE), Odisha Joint Entrance Exam Pharmacy (OJEE), and Maharashtra Common Entrance Test MH CET.
  • You will be needed to clear the group discussion and personal interview rounds after the entrance exam scores are accepted in order to get admission.
  • Alternatively, candidates who have completed their Diploma in Pharmacy have the option to join B.Pharm. directly from the second year through the lateral education programme.
  • The criteria varies from institute to institute as some states have made it mandatory to go through an entrance test while some are more relaxed and accept students based on merit in terms of their 12th Grade marks.
Cut off Marks for Graduation

Average Fees

20,000 to 2.5 lakhs per annum.

Average Fees for Graduation

A majority of M.B.B.S. and Pharmacy grads pursue post graduation programmers to enrich their knowledge and improve their professional prospects. Owing to the trend, there are plenty of options in the post graduation level.

  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Clinical Pharmacy
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Industrial Pharmacy (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutical Analysis (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmacology (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutics (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Quality Assurance (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm. in Pharmaceutical Analysis and Quality Assurance (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Biotechnology (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Drug Regulatory affairs (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmacy Practice (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutical Market and Management (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmaceutical Technology (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Drug Discovery and Development (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Biopharmaceutics (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry (2 years)
  • Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm.) in Bulk Drugs (2 years)
  • Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in Pharma Technology
  • Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Pharmacy (2 years)
  • Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (2 years)
  • Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Pharmacology (2 years)
  • Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Pharmaceutical Technology (2 years)
  • Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Bio Pharmaceutical Technology (2 years)
  • Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Pharmaceutical Operations and Management (2 years)
  • Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) (Post Baccalaureate) (3 years)
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Pharmacovigilance (1 year)
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical Management (1 year)
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs (1 year)

Eligibility and Cutoff

  • Post-graduation or masters courses (registered by the Pharmacy Council of India) in any a similar field of research.
  • 55% for general category in PG or masters exams and 50% for SC/ST/OBCs.
Cut off Marks for Post-Graduation

Average Fees

50,000-3 lakhs a year.

Average Fees for Post-Graduation

As mentioned above, the outbreak of new diseases have compelled pharmacists to innovate and create new medicines and antibiotics to tackle the growing menace. Doing a PhD - the highest form of degree, would give you a comprehensive knowledge on the chemical sciences of medicine and how it can be altered to create new antibiotics for the benefit of mankind.

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Nursing (3 years)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Oral Medicine and Radiology (3 years)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pathology (3 years)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Speech and Language Pathology (3 years)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychiatric Nursing (3 years)
  • Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in Hospital Administration (3 years)

Eligibility and Cutoff

  • Should have a PG or Masters from a recognized institution in the relevant stream pertaining to the PhD being pursued.
  • For nursing, a candidate must be a registered with any of the relevant state nursing councils.
Cut off Marks for Graduation

Average Fees

1-4 lakhs per annum.

Average Fees for Post-Graduation

They look good on a resume, are short and deal with a specific topic - certificate courses serve the purpose and taking one up can be the best way of using up spare time. You can pick any of these given below:

  • Certificate in Drug Regulatory Affairs (6 months)
  • Certificate in Pharmacy Assistant (6 months)
  • Certificate in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety (3 weeks)
  • Certificate in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Innovations (1 month)
  • Certificate in Clinical Pharmacology (3 months)
  • Certificate in Drug Utilization Studies (3 months()
  • Certificate Course in Pharmacy (1 year)
  • Certificate Course in Pharmacovigilance (6 months)
  • Certificate in Basics of Epidemiology (3 months)

Demand in the last few years

Recent figures released by India's Technical Education Regulator reveal that 392 out of the 522 institutes been given the green signal to begin operations this year are Pharmacy-centric institutes. The remarkable rise in the number of institutes offering Pharmacy itself is enough proof of the demand for Pharmacy courses.

Students who had aspirations of entering the medical field are ditching the age-old courses such as M.B.B.S. and are instead trying their luck in the pharmacy business. There's a reason behind it too as pharmacists are required to fill in posts in the various hospitals and drug stores that are opening up at an astonishing rate.

As the pollution worsens in proportion to the population, so are the number of diseases and viruses that are cropping up each day. To curb such health hazards before they break out into an epidemic, people who've studied medicine are needed now more than ever to step up and join the tireless research work that is happening not just in India, but all around the world.

The scope of research in Pharmacy is why there is a high rate of graduates taking up masters and PhDs to improve their knowledge and understanding regarding the topic. The scope of development of the Pharmaceutical industry - which is bound to grow exponentially in the coming years - makes Pharmacy an ideal field of study not just in the present but also in the near future.

Future Scope

  • The figures above itself should give you a rough idea of how profitable the paramedical sector is.
  • It's a profitable venture as the requirement for pharmacy professionals is high and rising. A pharmacist can choose to work in any of the four areas of operation namely - retail, hospital, industrial and research - all of which are quite remunerative. Whether it is joining a manufacturing pharmaceutical firm, hospital or opening up your own medical store, there is a refreshing sense of freedom and variation in this spectrum of work
  • Both private and Government organizations too are actively looking out for young and experienced pharmacy graduates to occupy various posts in departments such as research and development, marketing and sales, analysis and testing, production, regulatory bodies and so on.
  • The initial salary that a fresher would get would be anywhere between 2-4 lakhs per annum which can go up to 10-12 lakhs as experience is gathered over the years. Job profiles such as general or industrial pharmacist, drug inspector, medical research scientist, pharmacologist, medical sales executive, science writer, etc.
  • There is ample number of opportunities for pharmacists and researchers outside of India too as the health care and pharmaceutical production in foreign countries is booming due to the rise in demand for prescription medications. The opportunities in the Pharmacy sector are up for the taking and it only bound to improve as time goes on.