GPAT 2024: Exam Date, Application Form, Syllabus, Pattern, Cutoff, Result

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) exam for admission to MPharma or equivalent courses. GPAT scores are accepted by 800 participating institutes and all the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) approved institutions and universities. The exam was conducted by AICTE up to 2017. Approximately 62,275 candidates took the entrance test last year.

Below are the quick highlights of the entrance exam: 

The GPAT 2024 eligibility criteria are set by the National Testing Agency (NTA) which determines the ability and basic acumen of the candidate to appear for the exam. Below are the criteria:

• The candidate must possess a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy or equivalent from a recognised university.
• Candidates appearing for the qualifying examination of a bachelor’s degree whose result will be declared before the commencement of admission for the academic year 2024-25 can also apply.
• The candidate must be a citizen of India
• There is no age restriction for appearing in the national-level entrance exam

Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) is a computer-based national-level entrance examination conducted by NTA. NTA will release GPAT application forms for candidates in online mode tentatively in February. The GPAT registration window extends for the period of 30 days once the application process begins. The GPAT application forms will be available at the NTA-GPAT website. Every year,  All AICTE-approved Institutions, University Departments, Constituent Colleges, and Affiliated Colleges shall shortlist qualified students for admission into MPharma.

Below is a step-by-step guide to completing the GPAT registration and application:

• Step 1: Visit NTA GPAT official website to register for GPAT 2024
• Step 2: Fill GPAT 2024 application form
• Step 3: Upload documents in GPAT application form
• Step 4: GPAT application form fee
• Step 5: GPAT 2024 exam city choices
• Step 6: Printout of GPAT registration form

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the list of locations of the GPAT exam centres, along with other critical exam information. Last year, NTA designated 116 cities around the country as locations for its test centres. Below is the tentative list of centres. Candidates will have to enter four cities of their choice in preferential order. The final GPAT 2024 exam centre will be notified on the admit card.

NTA has shared the statistics regarding the number of candidates registered for the exam on their official website. The number of registered candidates in previous year (2023) was 68,439 and the actual number of appearing candidates was 62,275. The number of registered candidates in 2022 was 53,302 and the actual number of candidates who appeared was 50,508. The table also highlights the increasing popularity of GPAT exam among aspirants since 2019 which has directly pushed the authorities to increase the number of test centers in India. 

To provide a better clarity we have gathered some statistics presented in tabulated form as shown below:

GPAT exam conducted in the previous year was overall easy to medium difficulty level exam. No change in the exam pattern was reported. The Pharmaceutical Chemistry section is reported to be the most difficult one among the other sections. The Pharmaceutics section was the easiest one. The question based on the reaction and its process was difficult to attempt. Questions were basic and concept-based. Candidates are advised to watch the students' reaction video below:

The admission process started with the registration process for the examination. Aspirants of the PG entrance test were required to register themselves on the official website. After completion of the registration process, candidates could proceed to fill out the application form.

The applications undergo scrutiny after successful submission. The applicants whose applications are accepted by the NTA will issue the admit card. Candidates then need to appear for an online test.

The results will be declared for the candidates who write the examination, following which the candidates who qualify for the examination participate in the counselling rounds.

To participate in the counselling, candidates will have to apply separately to the desired institute/college. The participating institute basis the applications received released the cut-off scores. Candidates who fall inside the cutoff range get admission to that institute.

The GPAT final answer key will be released after the exam concludes. NTA generally releases the GPAT provisional answer key within 3 days after the exam concludes. Initially, the GPAT provisional answer keys will be released on the official NTA-GPAT portal. Candidates will have to log in using the application number and password or date of birth to download the answer key. GPAT 2023 answer key carries all the answers to the questions asked in the examination. Candidates can calculate and estimate their scores by using the provisional answer key. Candidates will be provided with the facility to challenge the GPAT answer key by paying INR 200 per question within the stipulated time limit. After a few days, along with the GPAT result, the final GPAT answer key will be shared by NTA. 

GPAT Exam Analysis (previous year) - CLICK HERE

GPAT Answer Keys (Provisional, Previous Year) - Download Now (Click Here)

GPAT Answer Keys (Final, Previous Year) - Download Now (Click Here)

To check GPAT results, candidates should follow these steps on the official website:

• Visit the official website of GPAT, gpat.nta.nic.in.

• Click on the 'GPAT 2024 Result' tab

• Log in using their application number and password/ date of birth and enter the Security Pin

• Press the 'Sign in' button and then on the 'View result' button

• Download or save the online scorecard. The candidates are advised to take at least three to four copies printed for future use

NTA will release the GPAT cutoff and merit list at the official website. The merit list consists of the list of toppers. The merit list has details such as a candidate’s name, roll number, all India rank, sectional scores, sectional percentile, overall percentile, and sectional percentiles.

The merit list will contain the All India Rank (AIR) of qualifiers declared with the result. The percentile determines how many candidates have scored below a particular candidate.

The tentative GPAT exam cutoff is given in the table below:

Also Read: NIRF Ranking 2023 of Top Pharmacy Colleges in India

NTA has set a particular guideline that is to be followed by the candidates on GPAT exam day. Below are the GPAT 2024 exam day guidelines in a nutshell:

What to carry on the exam day?

• Print copy of Admit Card downloaded from NTA’s website.
• One passport-size photograph (same as uploaded on the Application Form)
• Original, valid, and non-expired photo ID
• PWD certificate (if applicable)

What not to carry on the exam day?

• Textual material, Calculators, Docu-Pen, Slide Rule, Log Tables, and Electronic Watches with facilities of calculator, printed or written material, and bits of paper, mobile phone, pager or any other electronic device
• Smoking, chewing gutka, spitting, etc. in the examination hall is prohibited.

Read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding GPAT exam as mentioned below: