What is Pharmacovigilance?: Course Fees 2026, Subjects, Top Colleges, Admissions

Updated on Dec 18, 2025 01:47 IST
Parul Thapa

Parul ThapaAssistant Manager

In simple terms, Pharmacovigilance is like being a detective for medicines, constantly watching and investigating what happens after a drug is sold to find, understand and also stop any bad or unexpected side effects to keep patients safe.

Pharmacovigilance courses include different types of course levels which can be selected by candidates according to their liking like UG, PG, Doctorate, Diploma and also Certificate level.

If we talk about eligibility generally, candidates should pass Class 12 in PCB with passing marks. Candidates should also pass some exams like NEET PG, AP PGECET, TS PGECET, CUET PG, INI CET, etc. Fees can range around INR 1 Lakh to INR 13 Lakh. But candidates should know that eligibility, exam required as well as fees can be different according to the courses as well as colleges.

Popular colleges are AIIMS Rishikesh, MDU, Kumaun University, etc. 

Jobs available for graduates are Drug Inspectors, Clinical Research Associates, Drug Control Directors, etc. Recruiters include Ranbaxy, Asian clinical trials serene, Clin invent, GlaxoSmithKline, etc. 

 

Pharmacovigilance Course Details

Candidates can check a general overview of the key points of Pharmacovigilance course -

Particulars Pharmacovigilance Course Details
Pharmacovigilance Course Level UG, PG, Doctorate, Advanced Masters
Pharmacovigilance Course Full-time, Online, and Part-time
Skill

Enhances analytical thinking, Medical writing, Regulatory knowledge, etc.

Pharmacovigilance Course Entrance Exam

GPAT, NEET PG, AP PGCET, TS PGCET, OJEE, INI CET, etc.

Pharmacovigilance Top Recruiters

Ranbaxy, Asian Clinical Trials Serene, GlaxoSmithKline, Dr Reddy’s lab, Clin Invent, Clintec International, etc.

 

Q:   What is pharmacovigilance course?
A:

Pharmacovigilance course comes under Pharmacy stream. pharmaceutical Science about 'collection, detection, assessment, monitoring, and prevention' of adverse effects with pharmaceutical goods is known as pharmacovigilance, commonly referred to as drug safety. Pharmacovigilance courses are available at many levels such as UG, PG, Doctorate, etc.

Depending on Pharmacovigilance course, bachelor's studies last three to four years. Like other courses, master's programmes last for two years. Most Certification programmes last between six months and a year.

Pharmacokinetics, Drug Delivery Systems, Regulatory Affairs, and other topics are main topics of Pharmacovigilance course.

We also suggest these for Pharmacovigilance course:

NIRF Ranking of Pharmacy Colleges in India

List of Top Pharmacy Entrance Exams in India

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Q:   Are the academic facilities in Pharmacovigilance good?
A:

A career in Pharmacovigilance needs basic qualifications that include undergraduate and/or graduate degrees in human medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing, pharmacy or any allied health sciences.

Direct exposure in collecting and organizing PV data, their effective processing, analyzing and even further implications are essentially required for a student who aspires to such a career.

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Table of contents
  • Pharmacovigilance Eligibility & Admission
  • Pharmacovigilance Exams
  • Pharmacovigilance Syllabus
  • Types of Pharmacovigilance Courses
  • Best Colleges for Pharmacovigilance Course
  • Popular Private Pharmacovigilance Colleges in India
  • Pharmacovigilance Career Scope: Job Profiles, Salary and Top Recruiters
  • Pharmacovigilance Course FAQs
  • Popular Pharmacovigilance UG Courses
  • Popular Pharmacovigilance PG Courses
View More

Pharmacovigilance Eligibility & Admission

Candidates should know that eligibility can be different according to the courses. This is why they should check it. Failure to fulfill the eligibility can lead to cancellation of candidature.

Candidates can see the general outline of the eligibility below:

Course Level Eligibility Criteria
UG
  • Class 12 with Science PCB/M
  • 50% marks
PG 

UG degree in -

Pharmacy

Life Sciences

Medicine

Nursing

Biotechnology, etc.

PhD

PG degree in -

Pharmacology

Pharmacy

Life Sciences

Medicine, etc.

Advanced Masters

UG and PG in relevant fields (Pharmacy, Medicine, Life Sciences)

Note: Info is taken from other sources and can be different.

 

Pharmacovigilance Admission Process

Candidates can check a general overview of the admission process below:

  • Make sure you meet the eligibility
  • Apply online by filling up the form
  • Take entrance exam
  • Wait for the merit list and result
  • If selected, attend the counselling session
  • Get the documents verified and pay the fee to secure the seat

 

Q:   What is the eligibility criteria for pursuing Pharmacovigilance courses?
A:

Candidates should know that eligibility can be different according to the courses. This is why they should check it. Failure to fulfill the eligibility can lead to cancellation of candidature.

Candidates can see the general outline of the eligibility below -

Degree

Eligibility Criteria

Bachelor Courses

  • Must have passed Class 12.

Masters Courses

Diploma Courses

  • Candidates must have proper knowledge of Pharmacy beforehand.

Certification Courses

  • Must have passed Class 10

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.

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Pharmacovigilance Exams

Pharmacovigilance course is popular in PG level so many colleges ask for exam scores for its admission. Exam scores like GPAT, NEET PG, AP PGCET, TS PGCET, etc. are accepted by colleges.

Candidates can see table listing details of these exams below -

Pharmacovigilance Entrance Exams  Pharmacovigilance Exam Schedule
GPAT GPAT Dates
NEET PG NEET PG Dates
AP PGCET AP PGCET Dates
TS PGCET TS PGCET Dates
OJEE OJEE Dates
INI CET INI CET Dates

Click here to see the top Medicine & Health Sciences Entrance Exams in India

 

16 Jan ' 26 - 26 Jan ' 26

NEET PG 2025 round-3 choice filling

15 Jan ' 26 - 26 Jan ' 26

NEET PG 2025 round-3 counselling registration

10 Jan ' 26 - 15 Jan ' 26

INI CET Nov 2025 round-2 reporting

9 Jan ' 26

INI CET 2025 round-2 seat allotment result

Mar '26 - Apr '26

AIIMS BSc Paramedical Registration (Basic)

TENTATIVE

May '26

AIIMS BSc Paramedical Admit Card

TENTATIVE
Q:   Can I do Pharmacy without GPAT?
A:

Yes students can take admission to Pharmacy colleges without appearing for GPAT. Given below are the best Pharmacy colleges that accept students without GPAT scores -

College NameTuition FeeEligibility / Exams
AIIMS DelhiINR 2,110INI CET, AIIMS PG
CMC VelloreINR 1,200NEET PG
Kasturba Medical College, ManipalINR 1.72 Lacs - INR 22.44 lakhNEET PG, MET
NIPER GuwahatiINR 1.9 lakhNIPER JEE

Note: Info is taken from other sources and can be different.

Q:   How many institutes participate in GPAT exam?
A:

NBEMS (National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences) does not conduct counselling for colleges that accept GPAT scores but considering GPAT is a national level pharmacy entrance exam it is expected that there will be 800 pharmaceutical participating institutes for GPAT 2025 as there will not be any GPAT counselling done by institutes individually by their admission committee. 

Candidates should investigate admission process criteria for admission institutes they choose individually.

Pharmacovigilance Syllabus

Pharmacovigilance courses are offered at the UG, PG, Diploma, Certificate and Doctorate levels. This course is focused on theoretical as well as practical subjects with core and elective subjects which help candidates understand the concepts of Pharmacy courses. Candidates should know that syllabus and the curriculum can be different according to the course levels. Course duration can be from 6 months to 3 years but then again it depends on the course level.

Candidates can see a general outline of the Pharmacovigilance course syllabus below - 

Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus - UG

Given below is a general overview of the syllabus for UG Pharmacovigilance course:

UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 1
Basics of Pharmacology Human Anatomy & Physiology
Biochemistry -
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 2
Principles of Pharmacy Microbiology
Organic Chemistry -
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 3
Pathophysiology Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Biostatistics -
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 4
Introduction to Pharmacovigilance Drug Development Process
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 5
Clinical Research Basics Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) Monitoring
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 6
Regulatory Affairs Drug Safety Evaluation
Ethics in Research -

Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus - PG

Given below is a general overview of the syllabus for PG Pharmacovigilance course:

UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 1
Advanced Pharmacology Clinical Trial Management
Pharmacoepidemiology -
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 2
Pharmacovigilance Systems Signal Detection
Risk-Benefit Assessment -
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 3
Global Regulatory Guidelines (FDA, EMA, WHO, ICH) Medical Writing
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 4
Pharmacovigilance Databases Case Studies
Internship/Project Work -

Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus - Doctorate

Given below is a general overview of the syllabus for Doctorate Pharmacovigilance course:

UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 1
Research Methodology Advanced Pharmacovigilance Concepts
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 2
Statistical Tools for Drug Safety Research Regulatory Framework Analysis
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 3
Specialized Research in ADRs Signal Management
Risk Assessment -
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 4
Thesis Proposal Development Literature Review
Pilot Study -
UG Pharmacovigilance Course Syllabus Sem 5 & 6
Independent Research Work Data Analysis
Publications -

 

Q:   What are the major subjects in Pharmacovigilance course?
A:

Candidates can see list of some important topics that they study in Pharmacovigilance course below -

  • Introduction to Pharmacovigilance

  • Regulatory Requirements

  • Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting

  • Pharmacoepidemiology

  • Risk Management and Risk Minimization Plans

  • Drug Safety Data Management

Note: The list is a general overview and can be different according to course levels and colleges.

Q:   Is Pharmacy course easy?
A:

Answer is not quite simple. Just like any other medical course difficulty of Pharmacy courses will depend on everyone's abilities, hard work and developing their study habits. 

As students move through their Pharmacy course their studies become more specific and focused. So it really depends on an individual.

Types of Pharmacovigilance Courses

There are many types of Pharmacovigilance courses that are offered in India. Pharmacovigilance courses can be studied at UG, PG, Diploma and even Certificate levels in India. Out of these they choose according to their liking.

Candidates can see the list of types of Pharmacovigilance courses that are offered below: 

Pharmacovigilance Courses - PG

You can check the PG Pharmacovigilance courses along with the colleges offering them here -

UG Pharmacovigilance Courses UG Pharmacovigilance Colleges UG Pharmacovigilance Course Fees (INR)
M Pharma Dr. D.Y. Patil College of Pharmacy, Akurdi 1.48 L
Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University 1.6 L
SVSU 2 L
MD AIIMS Delhi 2.11 K
CMC 3.6 K
Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU 45 K
MSc KMC, Manipal 1.72 L
SVSU 3.46 L
AIIMS Rishikesh 650
MVSc Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu 22 K
College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University 18 K
Veterinary College & Research Institute, Namakkal 20 K

Note - Info is taken from the other sources and can be different.

Pharmacovigilance Courses - Diploma

You can check the Diploma Pharmacovigilance courses along with the colleges offering them -

UG Pharmacovigilance Courses UG Pharmacovigilance Colleges UG Pharmacovigilance Course Fees (INR)
PG Diploma Institute of Good Manufacturing Practices India 60 K - 1.8 L
Cliniminds Institute of Health Science Training and Management 51 K - 55 K
Jehangir Centre for Learning 1 L

Note - Info is taken from the other sources and can be different.

 

Pharmacovigilance Specialisations

Students pursuing a Pharmacovigilance course can take one of the specializations given here:

Pharmacovigilance Specializations
Data collection and organization Safety administration and evaluation
Regulatory submissions Data mining & toxic sample identification

 

Q:   What should I do between Pharmacovigilance and Clinical Research? Which one would be better for my career growth?
A:

Clinical research focuses on doing research studies and clinical trials to test safety and if the new medicines are working or not. 

But Pharmacovigilance is about detection, assessment, understanding and also prevention of serious effects or any other drug related problems. 

Candidates can check table below to see comparison between two courses. 

Particulars

Clinical Research 

Pharmacovigilance

Course Level

Undergraduate & Postgraduate

UG, PG, Diploma

Duration 

3-4 years

2-3 years

Course fee

Up to INR 5 Lakh

INR 1,000 - INR 22 Lakh

Admission Criteria

Merit-Based

WBJEE, NEET, BITSAT

Average Salary

Up to INR 35 Lakh 

INR 4.2 LPA - INR 8 LPA

Top recruiters

Bioexcel, Biocon, Cipla, Max Healthcare, SRI Ganga Ram Hospital, Fortis, Cipla, Biocon, Springer Nature, Neilsoft, Hi Care, IPatientCare, InVentive Health, Infinity Labs, Augustus Health Care, Indegene, Quintiles, Avigna, Semler Research Centre

Ranbaxy, Asian clinical trials serene, GlaxoSmithKline, Dr Reddy’s lab, Clin invent, Clintec International, Matrix laboratories Ltd., Bioserve, etc.

Job positions

Clinical Research Physicians, Clinical Research Associates, Biostatisticians, Clinical Research Coordinators, Clinical Research Analysts

Drug Inspector, Clinical Research Associate, Drug Control Director, etc.

Q:   Which one is better between Medical Coding and Pharmacovigilance?
A:

It depends on many factors like one's preferences, career goals, skill sets and also personal liking. 

Medical Coding is about deciding standardized codes to medical terms and process. It needs a strong understanding of medical terms, anatomy and also coding rules.

But Pharmacovigilance is about checking safety of the medicines and if they are working properly or not. 

Best Colleges for Pharmacovigilance Course

There are approximately 800+ colleges which have Pharmacovigilance courses, out of which 150+ are government, 450+ private and 10+ public private. Choosing best colleges for Pharmacovigilance education can be tough, specially when there are a lot of options in front of candidates. At this point it becomes very important to filter them out according to your liking, budget and career plan.

That is why candidates can see a list of popular government and private colleges below -

 

Pharmacovigilance Government Colleges

Jamia Hamdard, AIIMS Delhi and Institute of Chemical Technology (Mumbai) are some government colleges which offer UG and PG courses. Further bifurcation for each course is below - 

Best Government Pharmacovigilance College - PG

Candidates can see list of goverment colleges offering PG courses -

Govt PG Pharmacovigilance Course Govt PG Pharmacovigilance Course Fees (INR)
Jamia Hamdard 4.8 Lakh
AIIMS Delhi 2,110 - 3,330
Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 1.45 Lakh
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab 96,960
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Guwahati 1.9 Lakh
AIIMS Rishikesh 650 - 2,110
Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University 1.6 Lakh
AIIMS Bhubaneshwar 1.05 Lakh
Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU 45,000

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.

 

Pharmacovigilance Private Colleges

Jamia Hamdard, AIIMS Delhi and Institute of Chemical Technology (Mumbai) are some government colleges which offer UG and PG courses. Further bifurcation for each course is below - 

Best Pharmacovigilance Colleges - UG

Candidates can see list of goverment colleges offering UG courses -

Pvt UG Pharmacovigilance Course Pvt UG Pharmacovigilance Course Fees (INR)
Saveetha University 90,000
YBN University 2.1 Lakh
Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology and Research 7.2 Lakh
Sandip Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SIPS) 4.48 Lakh
Anovus Institute of Clinical Research 1.01 Lakh

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.

Best Pharmacovigilance Colleges - PG

Candidates can see list of goverment colleges offering PG courses -

Pvt PG Pharmacovigilance Course Pvt PG Pharmacovigilance Course Fees (INR)
BITS Pilani 10.38 Lakh
CMC 3,600
Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal  5.98 Lakh
SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 9 Lakh
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences 4.05 Lakh - 15.45 Lakh
Chandigarh University (CU) 4.36 Lakh
Amity University, Noida 2.76 Lakh
Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Chandigarh 3.3 Lakh - 4 Lakh
DMIHER 1.2 Lakh
Banasthali Vidyapith 2.48 Lakh

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.

 

1 Course
4.8 L
6.95 LPA

#40 NIRF

5 Courses
2.11 K - 3.33 K
20 - 22 LPA

#1 NIRF

12.93 L
16.15 LPA
1 Course
1.45 L
5.25 LPA
9 LPA

#2 NIRF

1 Course
3.6 K
12.09 LPA

#3 NIRF

Q:   Which city is better for Pharmacy: Hyderabad or Delhi?
A:

Okay so if you are trying to choose between Hyderabad and Delhi it’s not about which city is best for everyone but it’s about what you want.

Both cities have good options but they are different in their own ways.

Candidates can see comparison below -

HyderabadDelhi
Growing Pharmaceutical HubNational Capital
Lower Cost of LivingTop Ranked Colleges
Research OrientedExposure to Different Sectors
Competitve AdmissionHigh Cost of Living
-Fast Paced Lifestyle

 

Q:   How many Pharmacy colleges are there in India?
A:

Around 4,900+ best Pharmacy colleges are there in India out of which 2,100+ colleges are private, 350+ colleges are government and 80+ are semi government.

Jamia Hamdard, AIIMS Delhi, ICTM, NIPER Hyderabad, BITS Palani, PGIMER, CMC and JSS are best Pharm D colleges in India.

GPAT, NEET, MHT CET, JEECUP and CUET are popular exams for admission to top Pharmacy colleges in India.

D.Pharma, B.Pharma, and M.Pharma are best courses offered by top Pharmacy colleges in India.

Popular Private Pharmacovigilance Colleges in India

1 Course
5.1 L

Pharmacology Applications open. Apply Now

1 Course
1.98 L
1 Course

Pharmacology Applications open. Apply Now

1 Course
4.4 L
1.0

Pharmacology Applications open. Apply Now

2 Courses
4.01 L - 5.71 L
8 LPA

Pharmacology Applications open. Apply Now

1 Course
4.62 L

Pharmacology Applications open. Apply Now

Pharmacovigilance Career Scope: Job Profiles, Salary and Top Recruiters

After the Pharmacovigilance course, career prospects require basic conditions of educational qualification, focused on bachelor's and/or master's degrees in Human Medicine, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy, Nursing, or allied health sciences. A direct experience in the collection and organization of PV data, their effective processing and analyzing, and subsequent consideration are more or less critical as evidence and/or otherwise for a student who is considering career possibilities after the Pharmacovigilance course.

India has potential job opportunities for Pharmacovigilance due to several reasons including the rapidly developing pharmaceutical industry, significant increasing focus on drug safety regulations, and growth of clinical research and pharmacovigilance work that has a global relocation. 

Pharmacovigilance Best Recruiters 

Besides, the following are some renowned Companies that usually recruit Pharmacovigilance graduates:

Pharmacovigilance Top Recruiters
Ranbaxy Asian clinical trials serene
Clin invent GlaxoSmithKline
Clintec International Dr Reddy’s lab
Matrix Laboratories Ltd. Bioserve
Clinique Elly Lilly
IGATE clinical research Novartis
Intass biopharmaceuticals Johnson & Johnson
Quintiles Pharmanet

Pharmacovigilance Salary in India

Some of the jobs after Pharmacovigilance that candidates can apply for are:

Job Profiles Annual Salary
Drug Inspectors INR 4.2 LPA
Clinical Research Associates INR 5 LPA 
Drug Control Directors INR 8 LPA 
Pharmacovigilance Scientists INR 5.5 LPA
Regulatory Affairs Specialists INR 7.8 LPA

Note: The salary is taken from Ambitionbox.com.

 

Q:   What does a Pharmacovigilance graduate do?
A:

Pharmacovigilance professional checks safety of medicines and drugs. They make sure that medicines are safe for general public.

They can get jobs in pharmacy companies or even any healthcare bodies. They work with doctors, nurses and also pharmacists to know about people's problems, reactions to the medicines or drugs and to report all of them and also develop strategies to make the risks lesser. 

Q:   Is there a scope of Pharmacovigilance?
A:

One of world's best pharmacy producers India is also well known for exporting drugs.

In India there are more than 8000 licenced drug producers all of which will actively seek for pharmacovigilance specialists. In nations like United States and Europe there are a lot of job prospects abroad.

There won't be a shortage of jobs in this field. Along with a few roles in public sector, pharmaceutical businesses provide many job options to candidates. 

Pharmacovigilance Course FAQs

Candidates can refer below for the Pharmacovigilance course FAQs.

Q:   What are the skills required for a Pharmacovigilance candidate?
A:

Candidates should have some skills if they choose to go for Pharmacovigilance course. This will make sure that the curriculum is not tough for them.

Candidates can see table showing these skills below -

Skills

Knowledge of Medical coding

Narrative and Scientific writing

Good understanding of medical terms

Basic knowledge of regulatory affairs

An eye for detail

Ability to keep records and data, etc.

 

Q:   Is Pharmacovigilance a data entry job?
A:

Pharmacovigilance is not only a data entry job it includes much more than just entering data. 

While data entry is a part of pharmacovigilance work but it also includes checking safety and efficiency of medicines and drugs. 

Q:   Can a BSc Life Sciences graduate apply for a Pharmacovigilance course?
A:

Yes a BSc Life Sciences graduate can easily apply for a Pharmacovigilance course. 

Many colleges in India are there which accept candidates with a background in Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Microbiology or also Biotechnology.

Q:   Is there any age limit for enrolling in a Pharmacovigilance course?
A:

There is no strict age limit for going for Pharmacovigilance course.

Most Diploma and certification courses accept candidates on the basis of educational qualifications and not age.

But if we talk about PG courses then they may have upper age restrictions.

Q:   How does Pharmacovigilance training prepare students for real-world challenges?
A:

Pharmacovigilance training prepares students by giving hands on experience with event reporting, signal detection and also risk assessment.

Courses include case studies, industry software training and also real world regulatory scenarios.

 

Q:   Are international regulations such as FDA and EMA covered in the Pharmacovigilance course in India?
A:

Yes most Pharmacovigilance courses in India cover international regulations like ones set by FDA (U.S.), EMA (Europe) and also WHO.

These rules are very important so that it is made sure that medicines and drugs are made properly and safely.

Because many pharmacy companies in India cater to international markets understanding these guidelines is important. 

Q:   Does a Pharmacovigilance course include training in medical coding?
A:

Yes some Pharmacovigilance course has training in medical coding because it is important for making sure that medicines and drugs are safe for masses. 

Medical coding make sure that recording of data is done accurately. 

Q:   Can a Pharmacovigilance professional work in clinical research organizations (CROs)?
A:

Yes Pharmacovigilance graudates can work in clinical research organizations because these do clinical trials and then takes care of the drug safety.
In CROs pharmacovigilance pros analyze events and make sure that rules are followed.

Popular Pharmacovigilance UG Courses

Following are the most popular Pharmacovigilance UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

UG Courses

Popular Pharmacovigilance PG Courses

Following are the most popular Pharmacovigilance PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.

PG Courses

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