
The GPAT exam pattern 2026 is outlined in the official notification issued by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). The GPAT 2026 exam dates will be released soon. Candidates can check the information brochure, which describes the GPAT 2026 exam pattern. Students who want to appear in the exam are advised to fill out the GPAT registration 2025.
Candidates preparing for GPAT 2026 exam must know that the exam pattern and syllabus are the two most crucial aspects of the MPharma entrance exam. There are a total of nineteen topics/subjects covered in syllabus. Knowing the GPAT syllabus and pattern helps candidates prepare well for the examination, and the chances of missing out on an important topic will be low. The exam pattern of GPAT defines important parameters of the examination, such as mode, medium, marking scheme, etc.
Read in detail to know more about the GPAT exam pattern 2026.
- Highlights of GPAT 2026 Exam Pattern
- GPAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Insights
- GPAT 2026 Marking Scheme
- GPAT 2026 Exam Structure
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Regarding GPAT Exam Pattern
Highlights of GPAT 2026 Exam Pattern
| GPAT 2025 Exam Pattern Highlights |
|
|---|---|
| Mode of the examination |
Computer-based |
| Medium of the examination |
English only |
| Duration of the examination |
3 hours (180 minutes) |
| Type of Questions |
Objective types |
| Total number of Questions |
125 |
| Total marks |
500 |
| Negative marking |
Yes |
Commonly asked questions
As per the directive of the exam conducting authority there is no sectional time limit to attempt different sections of the GPAT question paper. Candidates will get overall 180 minutes (3 hours) to attempt the questions in the exam. Candidates can switch between the sections to attempt the questions.
There are mainly 5 sections in GPAT 2026 exam namely Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Allied Subjects, Pharmaceutics & Allied Subjects, Pharmacognosy & Allied Subjects, Pharmacology & Allied Subjects, and other subjects. The syllabus of the GPAT 2026 entrance examination majorly covers various dimensions of pharmaceutics. This year a new section on computational Biology and bioinformatics has been added to the syllabus.
GPAT 2026 Exam Pattern: Insights
- Mode: GPAT 2026 will be conducted in online mode. On the day of the examination, each candidate will br allotted a computer terminal at the exam centre. For rough work, each candidate will be provided with a rough sheet and a pen/pencil.
- Medium: According to the previous year's exam pattern of GPAT, the medium for the examination will be English language only. Any requests for a different medium/ language are not entertained.
- Type and number of questions: Candidates will be tested based on 125 objective-type questions. An objective-type question gives candidates 4 or more response options. Thus, instead of writing the answer, the candidate will have to choose the correct response from the options given and mark it.
- Marking scheme: As stated in the GPAT exam pattern 2026, NBEMS deducts marks for incorrect responses. Refer to the table given below to know the GPAT marking scheme.
Commonly asked questions
In GPAT exam, generally there are 125 objective-type questions with 4 or more response options. Instead of writing the answer, the candidate has to choose the correct response from the options given and mark it. The exam pattern of GPAT 2026 clearly states that the medium for the examination will be English only. Any requests for a different medium/ language will not be entertained by the NBEMS.
GPAT 2026 Marking Scheme
Here is the marking scheme for the GPAT 2026 exam as mentioned below:
| Type of response |
Marks awarded |
|---|---|
| Correct answer |
(+) 4 |
| Incorrect answer |
(-) 1 |
| Unattempted |
Nil |
Commonly asked questions
No, coaching is not mandatory if you have a solid self-study plan for GPAT exam. Students who have access to GPAT preparation books PDF, previous year papers, and mock tests. However, online courses can help with structured learning.
Students should follow GPAT preparation online free by following some popular websites.
No marks will be deducted for unattempted questions in the GPAT exam. Candidates can skip a question if they do not know the correct answer. Zero marks will be assigned against such questions. Overall, there will be a total of 125 questions in the GPAT exam. One mark will be deducted if an incorrect response is chosen. Each correct response will be rewarded with 4 marks in the exam.
GPAT 2026 Exam Structure
The table below shows the GPAT 2026 exam pattern and structure.
| Sections |
Number of Questions |
Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical Chemistry & Allied Subjects |
38 |
152 |
| Pharmaceutics & Allied Subjects |
38 |
152 |
| Pharmacognosy & Allied Subjects |
10 |
40 |
| Pharmacology & Allied Subjects |
28 |
112 |
| Other Subjects |
11 |
44 |
Commonly asked questions
National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) the exam conducting body of GPAT exam decides and releases the GPAT exam pattern. The GPAT exam syllabus is also released by NBEMS. The GPAT official notification revealed the updated GPAT exam pattern, which remained the same this year as well. Once the official notification is out, candidates can start applying for the exam. The GPAT exam pattern guides the candidates to understand the exam structure and to prepare a sound strategy to crack the pharmacy entrance exam.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Regarding GPAT Exam Pattern
Find out Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Regarding GPAT Exam Pattern here:
Commonly asked questions
Students who aim to qualify the GPAT exam are advised to follow the below-mentioned method to improve the speed.
Canidates should practice previous year GPAT papers by keeping a clock near them.
Take regular GPAT mock tests
Along with it, one also needs to use shortcut techniques for numerical-based questions to improve the speed.
The GPAT 2025 exam syllabus was released by NBEMS. The GPAT exam pattern was last modified in the academic year 2016-17, preceding which the examination was conducted twice a year. At present, the GPAT exam is conducted once a year in a computer-based format.
Since this year's exam-conducting authority has changed, we may expect a change in the syllabus this year also. It will be released in the official notification.
Yes, candidates appearing in the final year of Bachelor's Degree BPharma are eligible to appear for the GPAT 2025 exam. Along with checking the educational qualification one must ensure that they fulfill the GPAT eligibility criteria 2025 age wise also. It is recommended to check eligibility details for GPAT before filling the form.
Yes, candidates whose answer is incorrect will score a negative marking of -1 mark each per question. There is no negative marking for the unattempted questions. The maximum marks of the question paper are 500. Candidates will be given 3 hours to complete the test. Carefully attempt the questions to avoid negative marking.
Explore subject-wise topics asked in GPAT
Select your preferred subject
GPAT Exam
Student Forum
664 Institutes accepting GPAT
BITS Pilani - Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Pilani • Private
- ₹ 10.38 Lakh
- 2 years
- |
- Full Time
SOA University - Siksha 'O' Anusandhan
Bhubaneswar • Private
- ₹ 3.80 Lakh
- 2 years
- |
- Full Time
Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Resear...
Wardha • Private
- ₹ 3.00 Lakh
- 3 years
- |
- Full Time
Punjab - Other • Public
- ₹ 20,000
- 2 years
- |
- Full Time