Top Pharmacy Colleges in India

Pharmacy is the practice that links medical science with chemistry to create clinical health science. Pharmacy is the study of medicines and drugs and their effects on living beings. This field also includes research into the discovery, production, usage, and safe disposal of various chemicals or drugs used to treat various ailments.

Practitioners of pharmacy require an excellent knowledge about these drugs, their medicinal uses, their method of action, side effects, toxicity, and interactions with one another. This can be achieved through education from the best colleges/universities. Students interested in pharmacy can go through this page to learn about India's top pharmacy colleges.

The list is based on rankings offered by ranking bodies such as NIRF.

Table of Contents

• Top 15 Pharmacy Colleges in India by NIRF
• Pharmacy Colleges in India based on Zone
• Entrance Exams Accepted by Pharmacy Colleges in India
• Eligibility Criteria for Pharmacy Courses
• Admission Process for Pharmacy Colleges in India
• Fees for Pharmacy Courses in India
• Scope of Pharmacy in India
• Cut Off for Pharmacy Colleges in India
• Pharmacy Placements in India

Top 15 Pharmacy Colleges in India by NIRF

NIRF or National Institute Ranking Framework is a ranking methodology adopted by the Ministry of Education upon approval by the Minister of Human Resource Development (MHRD) in 2015. Various factors/parameters are considered before a list of colleges are announced in a rank list every year.

The ranking parameters and their weightages for the year 2020 are:

• Teaching, Learning & Resources [TLR] - 30%
• Research & Professional Practice [RPP] - 30%
• Graduation Outcomes [GO] - 20%
• Outreach and Inclusivity [OI] - 10%
• Perception [PR] - 10%

The NIRF Pharmacy College Rankings for 2020 are announced, and the college that gets the first rank with an overall score of 80.50 is Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. The list of top 15 pharmacy colleges as per NIRF is as follows -

Ranking	College/University Name	Overall NIRF 2020 Score
1	Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi	80.50
2	Panjab University, Chandigarh	79.80
3	National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Mohali	74.73
4	Institute of Chemical Technology [ICT], Mumbai	74.50
5	National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Hyderabad	73.81
6	Birla Institute of Technology & Science [BITS], Pilani	72.95
7	Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences [MCOPS], Udupi	67.42
8	National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar	65.64
9	JSS College of Pharmacy, Ooty	65.60
10	JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysore	64.58
11	National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Guwahati	60.45
12	Annamalai University, Annamalainagar	59.88
13	SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies [NMIMS], Mumbai	57.85
14	Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda [MSU Baroda], Vadodara	57.68
15	Amrita School of Pharmacy, Kochi	56.82

Pharmacy Colleges in India based on Zone

Based on NIRF's rankings, we have curated zone-wise lists of top pharmacy colleges across India.

Top Pharmacy Colleges in North India

The list of top pharmacy colleges in North India is as mentioned below:

1. Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
2. Panjab University, Chandigarh
3. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Mohali
4. Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
5. Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali

Top Pharmacy Colleges in South India

The list of top pharmacy colleges in South India is as mentioned below:

1. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Hyderabad
2. Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Udupi
3. JSS College of Pharmacy, Ooty
4. JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysore
5. Annamalai University, Annamalainagar

Top Pharmacy Colleges in East India

The list of top pharmacy colleges in East India is as mentioned below:

1. Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi
2. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Kolkata
3. NSHM Knowledge Campus, Kolkata
4. Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology, Kolkata

Top Pharmacy Colleges in West India

The list of top pharmacy colleges in West India is as mentioned below:

1. Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
2. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Ahmedabad
3. SVKM's Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
4. Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara
5. Nirma University, Ahmedabad

As you can see, the top pharmacy college in Mumbai is the Institute of Chemical Technology, which ranks at the top for the whole of the western zone.

Top Pharmacy Colleges in Central India

The list of top pharmacy colleges in Central India is as mentioned below:

1. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER] Raebareli, Lucknow
2. Amity University Noida, Gautam Budh Nagar
3. Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur
4. Integral University, Lucknow
5. Noida Institute of Engineering And Technology (Pharmacy Institute), Greater Noida

Top Pharmacy Colleges in North-East India

The list of top pharmacy colleges in North-East India is as mentioned below:

1. National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research [NIPER], Guwahati
2. Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh
3. Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Guwahati

Entrance Exams Accepted by Pharmacy Colleges in India

There are multiple exams conducted every year in India for admissions into B.Pharmacy or D.Pharmacy colleges. Many candidates interested in the course are not completely aware of these exams, so we have created a list of all the important entrance exams that they can take part in to get admission to pharmacy courses at various colleges across the country.

• GPAT (or Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test), conducted by the NTA
• NIPER JEE, conducted by NIPER (or National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research)
• WBJEE, conducted by the WBJEEB
• UPSEE/UPTU - Pharmacy, conducted by AKTU (Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University)
• MHT CET - Pharmacy, conducted by DTE, Maharashtra
• OJEE - Pharmacy, conducted by Odisha State Government
• KCET, conducted by KEA (or Karnataka Examination Authority)
• GUJCET, conducted by GSED (or Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board)
• Goa CET, conducted by DTA, Goa
• GITAM GAT, conducted by GITAM (Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management), Visakhapatnam
• MET, conducted by MAHE (Manipal Academy of Higher Education)
• Jamia Hamdard - Pharmacy, conducted by Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi

Note: The list mentioned above consists of national and state-level pharmacy entrance exams. So, candidates are required to check their eligibility for the examinations before applying for the same.

Eligibility Criteria for Pharmacy Courses

Every individual interested in pursuing a degree in pharmacy is required to satisfy a set of eligibility criteria to make sure that they can cope with the subject topics and study plan in the course. The eligibility varies for the different degrees available and are elaborated below.

Eligibility for B.Pharmacy Colleges in India

B.Pharm or B.Pharmacy stands for Bachelor of Pharmacy. Candidates who wish to apply for this course need to satisfy the following basic eligibility criteria.

• Minimum Educational Qualification: Candidate is supposed to have cleared their 10+2 or equivalent examination.
• Minimum Marks Required: Candidates are required to have a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in their 10+2/equivalent science subjects.
• Age Limit: The upper age limit for applying for this course at many colleges is 20 years for general category candidates and 22 years for reserved category candidates.

Eligibility for D.Pharmacy Colleges in India

D.Pharma or D.Pharmacy stands for Diploma in Pharmacy. Many students interested in this field apply for this career-oriented course, and they are required to satisfy all the eligibility criteria to get admission at colleges offering the same. The criteria are as follows:

• Age Limit: The minimum age limit to apply for this course is 17.
• Minimum Educational Qualification: Candidates are required to have cleared their 10+2 or equivalent examination.
• Minimum Marks: Candidates need to secure a minimum of 50% marks in their 10+2 or equivalent qualifying examinations for admissions to colleges that offer this course.

Eligibility for M.Pharmacy Colleges in India

M.Pharm or M.Pharmacy stands for Master of Pharmacy. To be eligible to pursue this course, candidates must satisfy the following eligibility criteria:

• Minimum Educational Qualification: Candidates must have completed their B.Pharmacy course from a college/university recognized by the PCI (Pharmacy Council of India).
• Minimum Marks: The minimum marks in the qualifying examination differs based on the college/university. It is usually either a 50% or 60% aggregate score in the qualifying examination.

Admission Process for Pharmacy Colleges in India

There are a lot of colleges in India that offer pharmacy as a course. And the admission process to these colleges are usually similar, with minor variations between them. We have analyzed and listed the basic admission process for pharmacy colleges in India. This information is listed below and is differentiated based on the degree being offered (i.e., Bachelors, Diploma, and Masters)

Admission Process for B.Pharmacy

The admission process for B.Pharm courses can be done either by a candidate’s performance in particular entrance tests or by a merit list generated based on the candidate’s marks in their Class 12 examinations.

• Most colleges offer admissions for B.Pharmacy strictly based on the candidate’s performance in either a common national/state entrance exam or a university entrance exam.
• Most government/state colleges also have their entrance tests to assess the eligibility of the candidates.
• A few colleges offer admissions based on a merit list generated by considering the candidates' marks in their qualifying exams.
• Some popular entrance exams for B.Pharmacy are:
• Goa CET
• KCET
• MHT CET
• UPSEE/UPTU

Admission Process for D.Pharmacy

In India’s colleges that offer this course, there are two methods of admission process that are adopted, Entrance-Based and Merit-Based.

The entrance-based admission process consists of -

• Two types of entrance tests are conducted, national level and state level. Candidates need to check their eligibility concering these entrance exams and apply for the same. Clearing these exams will give them a path towards admission at their choice of college.

The merit-based admission process consists of - 

• The college/university creates a merit list based on the candidates’ scores in their qualifying examination. Hence, candidates need to select the colleges they wish to study and submit their scores before a particular deadline. Upon being selected, the candidate will be called for the seat allotment process.

Admission Process for M.Pharmacy

The admissions to colleges that offer M.Pharmacy as a course are done based on central or state pharmaceutical/medical authorities' entrance exams.

Some popular entrance exams that students apply to are -

• GPAT
• NIPER JEE
• BITS HD
• AP PGECET
• TS PGECET

Fees for Pharmacy Courses in India

The fees for any pharmacy course in India averages between INR 15,000 to INR 2 lakhs per annum. The college-wise B.Pharm fee for some of the top colleges in the country is as follows:

College Name	Course Fees (per annum)
Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi	INR 1.2 lakhs to 1.9 lakhs
ICT, Mumbai	INR 3.4 lakhs
JSS College of Pharmacy, Ooty/Mysore	INR 1.4 lakhs

Scope of Pharmacy in India

The number of pharmaceutical companies in India has grown in the last few years. This created a demand for educated professionals in this field. Often, it is candidates who have finished their Bachelor or Master degree who get placed at any company. Candidates who graduate from Diploma courses are not offered many placements; however, they are sometimes offered roles such as a Pharmacy Assistant or Medical Representative. The job opportunities and areas of employment are listed below for reference.

Areas of Employment for Pharmacy Graduates

• Research and Development
• Quality Control
• Sales and Marketing
• Nutrition Pharmacy
• Quality Assurance
• Health Economy

Job Opportunities for B.Pharm Graduates

• Medical Transcriptionist
• Professor/Teacher
• Research Officer/Manager
• Drug Therapist
• Drug Inspector
• Drug Technician
• Analytical Chemist
• Clinical Pharmacist
• Medical Representative

Job Opportunities for M.Pharm Graduates

• Dispensary Manager
• Consultant Pharmacist
• Hospital Pharmacist
• Medicines Safety Manager
• Senior Clinical Pharmacist
• Community Pharmacist
• Medicines Management Technician

Cut Off for Pharmacy Colleges in India

The college-wise cut off for pharmacy courses are hardly released. However, the cut off for various entrance exams are released that candidates can rely on to make an informed study plan. The latest cut offs for various pharmacy entrance exams are as follows:

Entrance Exam	Cut Off Score (for the unreserved category)
GPAT	163
WBJEE	150 to 160
NIPER JEE	Scores are not disclosed; however, ranks below 1800 can get placed for the course.

Pharmacy Placements in India

Most candidates are unsure about a particular course because they will not be fully aware of the placement opportunities or the salary that will be available after graduating from that course. In pharmacy, the average salary for B.Pharm or M.Pharm graduates is anywhere between INR 2 to 7 LPA. We have discussed the salaries for a few of the positions in detail based on our research from Payscale.

Salary after B.Pharm

The salary for B.Pharm graduates at some of the most sought after jobs is as mentioned below.

Job	Average Annual Pay
Analytical Chemist	INR 5,78,000
Clinical Research Associate	INR 4,08,000
Clinical Research Coordinator	INR 2,97,000

Salary after M.Pharm

The annual pay for M.Pharm graduates at some of the more popular jobs is as mentioned below.

Job	Average Annual Pay
Research Scientist	INR 7,20,000
Research Associate	INR 3,49,000
Clinical Project Manager	INR 8,55,000

Companies Hiring Pharmacy Graduates in India

Some of the top recruiters in India for the pharmaceutical industry are as follows:

• Pfizer
• Cipla
• GSK Pharmaceuticals
• Sun Pharma
• AstraZeneca
• Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd
• Himalaya Drugs
• Abbot
• Alkem
• Aurobindo Pharma
• Nestle
• Biocon

Knowing about these companies would be beneficial for pharmacy graduates to be placed through the college/university.