Pharm D: Course Fees, Admission 2025, Syllabus, Top Colleges, Career Scope

Updated on Sep 9, 2025 12:02 IST
Parul Thapa

Parul ThapaAssistant Manager

Pharma D program is a professional doctorate program in Pharmacy that teaches advanced level of how medicines and drugs work. Candidates who want to get into healthcare or even research field can pursue this course. 

If we talk about eligibility generally, candidates should pass Class 12 in PCB/M or D Pharm with passing marks for 6-year Pharm D course but a B Pharm degree for 3-year Pharm D (Post Baccalaureate).

Candidates should also pass some exams like TS EAMCET, AP EAMCET, KCET, etc. Fees can range around INR 2 Lakh to INR 9 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 JIPMER Puducherry, KGMU, BHU, etc.

Jobs available for graduates are Research Scientist, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, etc. Recruiters include Lupin, Cipla, Piramal, etc.

 

Pharm D Course Details

Candidates can see detailed information about the course below - 

Particulars Pharm D Course Details
Full Form Doctor of Pharmacy 
Course Level Doctoral
Duration 6 years
Fees  INR 2.3 Lakh - INR 9.6 Lakh
Admission Criteria Entrance-Based or Merit-Based
Eligibility Class 12 - Science (PCB) + 50%
Exam
Popular Colleges
Jobs
  • Research Scientist
  • Regulatory Affairs Manager
  • Quality Assurance Manager
  • Medical Writer
  • Clinical Pharmacist
Salary 

INR 2.30 LPA - INR 10 LPA

Top Recruiters
  • Lupin
  • Cipla
  • Piramal
  • Sun Pharmaceuticals
  • Aurobindo Pharma

 

Q:   Is a Pharm D course easy or hard?
A:

As a whole, the Pharm D curriculum is academically rigorous, which will ask a lot out of students.
The rigor of a Pharm D curriculum will in part depend on the knowledge base a student brings into the program based on the student's innate skills, study habits, expectations regarding the nature of the program, and the specific approach taken by courses at the institution level.
With all that said, there is a minimum knowledge base that is expected for these students to bring into the program, and this includes a strong knowledge base of basic sciences including: laboratory biology, laboratory chemistry, and human anatomy, and very good analytical and problem-solving skills.

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Q:   Can Pharm D course students do surgery?
A:

No, graduates of a Pharm D program (Doctor of Pharmacy) are not trained to do surgery. The Pharm D program is focused on pharmaceutical scientific, pharmacology, patient care, and medication management. The Pharm D program does not cover the required training and education to be a surgeon. 

Surgeons are medical doctors who complete a lengthy medical training program generally with an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) or an equivalent, and they then completed additional residency training in surgery. Graduates of a Pharm D program are trained to be pharmacists, where they focus on the risks benefits of using medications, patient counselling, medication therapy management, and other areas of pharmaceutical training.

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Table of contents
  • Pharm D Eligibility & Admission 2025
  • Pharm D Exams
  • Pharm D Syllabus
  • Pharma D Specialisations
  • Pharm D Fees
  • Popular Private Pharm d doctor of pharmacy Colleges in India
  • Pharm D Career Scope: Job Profiles, Salary and Top Recruiters
  • Pharma D Course FAQs
  • Popular Pharm d doctor of pharmacy Specializations
  • Course Cutoffs
View More

Pharm D Eligibility & Admission 2025

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:

PharmD Course Type Pharm D Eligibility Criteria
For a 6-year Pharm D 
  • Class 12 (PCB/M) 
  • Diploma in Pharmacy grads can also apply 
For a 3-year Pharma D (Post Baccalaureate)

B Pharmacy or other UG relevant degree.

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

 

Pharm D Course Admission 

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

Read more about PharmD admission.

 

Q:   Does Pharm D course need Maths?
A:

To be a Pharm D student, indeed, Mathematical acumen can be advantageous.
Further, while a significant number of aspects of practice in Pharmacy do not rely on sophisticated Mathematics, it is regarded as a very important asset to have a solid understanding of the basics of mathematics and an aptitude for more advanced Mathematics, for both the Pharm D curriculum and Pharmacy practice overall.

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Q:   Can I join Pharma.D after B Pharmacy course through PG CET?
A:

You can surely secure a seat in Pharma.D after finishing B.Pharm through the PG CET. The PG CET is the most common way to get into this programme and is a common admissions pathway for this course in different states. Pharma.D (Post Baccalaureate) is a three year or (6 semester) program for B.Pharm graduates who wish to advance their education and train in clinical pharmacy.

Admission criteria is based on your PG CET rank, the college's cut off mark, and availability of seats. To improve your chances of getting into a College, you should complete the eligibility requirements and perform well in the PG CET.

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Q:   Are Class 12 marks important for Pharmacy?
A:

Yes, Class 12 marks are very important in India for getting B Pharmacy and some other diploma courses.

Also, it good to check rules of college you want to join. Some colleges look at both Class 12 marks and entrance exam, but some may focus more on one thing than other.

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Pharm D Exams

There are some exams whose scores are also considered for admission. Candidates can see the table below for list of Pharm D exams in India:

Exams Dates Schedule
TS EAMCET

Apr '26

TS EAMCET Dates
MHT CET 

11 Apr ' 26 - 19 Apr ' 26 (MHT CET 2026 Date for PCM Group session 1)

21 Apr ' 26 - 26 Apr ' 26 (MHT CET 2026 Exam for PCB Group session 1) 

10 May ' 26 - 11 May ' 26 (MHT CET 2026 Exam for PCB Group session 2)

14 May ' 26 - 17 May ' 26 (MHT CET 2026 Date for PCM Group session 2)

MHT CET Dates
AP EAMCET May '26 AP EAMCET Dates
AP PGECET Jun '26 AP PGECET Dates
KCET Apr '26 KCET Dates
NEET May '26 NEET Dates
TS PGECET Jun '26 TS PGECET Dates
CUET May ' 26  CUET Dates

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

 

Important Exam Dates

DatesUpcoming Exam Dates
05 Dec ' 25 - 09 Dec ' 25

NEET PG 2025 round-2 counselling registration

ONGOING
06 Dec ' 25 - 09 Dec ' 25

NEET PG 2025 round-2 counselling choice filling

10 Dec ' 25

AIAPGET 2025 stray vacancy round-2 result

11 Dec ' 25 - 17 Dec ' 25

AIAPGET 2025 stray vacancy round-2 reporting

12 Dec ' 25

NEET PG 2025 round-2 counselling result

13 Dec ' 25 - 21 Dec ' 25

NEET PG 2025 round-2 counselling institute reporting

26 Dec ' 25 - 27 Dec ' 25

NEET SS 2025 exam

DatesPast Exam Dates
05 Nov ' 25 - 25 Nov ' 25

NEET SS 2025 registration

31 Jul ' 25 - 05 Aug ' 25

NEET SS 2024 Counselling Round 3 Institute Reporting

30 Jul ' 25

NEET SS 2024 Counselling Round 3 Seat Allotment Result

Q:   Do we need NEET for Pharm D course?
A:

Yes. Some institutions accept NEET scores for admission into the Doctor of Pharmacy course and some do not.

In essence, the NEET is associated with undergraduate courses in Medical and Dental streams such as MBBS and BDS. However, its applicability to other health care related programs like Pharm D course may have a variety of different outcomes at different times based on the regulations created by the regulatory bodies and institutions.

Other entrance exam scores are: TS EAMCET, Andhra Pradesh EAMCET, GPAT, Andhra Pradesh PGECET, KCET, NEET, etc.

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

NBEMS (National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences) does not conduct the 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 the admission process criteria for the admission institutes they choose individually.

Pharm D Syllabus

Pharm D is all about advanced education on medicines and drugs. 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 colleges. 

Pharma D Course Semester 1
Pharmaceutics Human Anatomy & Physiology
Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry -
Pharma D Course Semester 2
Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Pharmaceutical Inorganic Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Remedial Mathematics/Biology
Pharma D Course Semester 3
Pharmaceutical Microbiology  Pathophysiology
Community Pharmacy -
Pharma D Course Semester 4
Community Pharmacy Pharmacology I
Pharmacotherapeutics I  
Pharma D Course Semester 5
Pharmaceutical Analysis  Pharmacology II
Pharma D Course Semester 6
Pharmaceutical Analysis Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence
Pharmaceutical Formulations  
Pharma D Course Semester 7
Pharmacotherapeutics - III Clinical Pharmacy
Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics -
Pharma D Course Semester 8
Hospital Pharmacy Biostatistics and Research Methodology
Clinical Toxicology -
Pharma D Course Semester 9
Clinical Pharmacokinetics Clinical research
Clerkship -
Pharma D Course Semester 10
Pharmacoepidemiology & Pharmacoeconomics Pharmacotherapeutic Drug Monitoring
Project Work (Six months) -

Detailed Pharm D syllabus

 

 

Q:   What am I to expect as a first-year Pharm D course student?
A:

In your first year in a Pharm D course, you will be effectively half way between foundational coursework, early clinical experiences, and basic, but critical skills, for your emergent career practice of Pharmacy. 
Areas of shared interest you may experience in the first year include the following:

  • Foundational Science Courses: In courses you would consider foundational/primary in basic sciences like Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physiology.
  • Foundations of Pharmacy Practice: You will start learning the foundations of pharmacy practice which will include pharmaceutical calculations, drug dispensing, medication therapy management, and patient communication.
  • Team-Based Learning: As part of the Pharm D course, you will experience team-based learning, and you will work with your peers on case studies, problem based activities and group projects.
  • Time Management and Study Skills: Many students find pharmacy school to be demanding and it will be important to develop time management and study skills.
Q:   Is Pharm D course tough?
A:

Pharmacy school is often believed to be difficult and one of the main reasons for that is the amount of material students must learn and articulate. Additionally, the field of Pharmacy is continuously changing and Pharmacists must remain current on new drugs, therapies, and healthcare laws and policies.

Moreover, Pharmacy school during the Doctor of Pharmacy course also places an emphasis on developing students’ critical thinking and care-based skills. Because Doctor of Pharmacy practitioners provide care in managing prescriptions and medicines, and they must think critically and because they care about the patient, evaluate using critical thinking techniques a patient case, and develop a solutions that is appropriate to relate to the provider or patient.

Lastly, the Doctor of Pharmacy course also requires the students to complete practical experiences called rotations. In either cases that each student is required to perform under the supervision of licensed Pharmacist in various healthcare environments. The practical learning experience aids the students to put to practice in real time and to learn and experience the practical side of learning the rotation can be strenuous for the students, that they become exposed to differing patients and cases, with associates varying professional requirements.

Pharma D Specialisations

Specialisations are basically focused area of education where one develops deeper knowledge of that topic/subject.

After a candidate has completed their UG level of Pharmacy education (which is a foundational level), they have many options to choose from in their PG level. Candidates can choose from the following specialisations according to their liking - 

Doctor of Pharmacy Course Specialisations
Pharmacology Pathology
Paediatrics Radiology
Microbiology Medicine in general

Read more about Pharma D courses.

 

Q:   Is Pharm D course equal to Doctor?
A:

Yes, the Pharm D degree is a professional doctorate in Pharmacy, and holders have the right to be called "Doctor." In other words, they are Doctors of Pharmacy. Not medical doctors, but they hold a Doctorate in Pharmacy; and therefore, can practice as a pharmacist in patient care and other medication management services.

Q:   Which subject is best for Pharm D course?
A:

The most beneficial subject to focus on for a PharmD program is Pharmaceutical Sciences, this subject is the core of PharmD programs and has a variety of important elements that fall under the umbrella of Pharmaceutical Sciences, including pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacokinetics. A solid understanding of Pharmaceutical Sciences will give students the foundation they need to learn about the mechanisms of drug action, interactions, and therapeutic effects of medicines.

Then there's Clinical Pharmacy, which is also another critical subject area that is important for practicing that knowledge in the workforce. Clinical Pharmacy is intended to address patient care, drug therapy management, and treatment decisions. 

Pharm D Fees

There are approximately 300+ colleges which have Nursing courses, out of which 11 are government, 200+ private and 3 public private. Choosing best colleges for Pharm D 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 -

Pharm D Colleges - Government

Candidates can see list of government colleges offering Pharm D below - 

Government Pharm D Colleges in India Pharm D Course Fees (in INR)
Annamalai University 93,540 - 1.87 Lakh
Saurashtra University 1.5 Lakh
Government College of Pharmacy, Aurangabad 2.4 Lakh
Government College of Pharmacy, Amravati 2.42 Lakh
Srinivas Group of Colleges 4.07 Lakh
L M College of Pharmacy 10.5 Lakh

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

Pharm D Colleges - Private

Candidates can see list of private colleges offering Pharm D below - 

Private Pharm D Colleges in India Pharm D Course Fees (in INR)
IUL 2.8 Lakh - 9.6 Lakh
Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana 2.84 Lakh - 6.58 Lakh
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research 3.5 Lakh - 7.5 Lakh
Jaipur National University 4 Lakh - 8 Lakh
Adichunchanagiri University 4.07 Lakh
Parul University 4.5 Lakh
Uka Tarsadia University 5.1 Lakh - 10.2 Lakh
VELS Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies (VISTAS) 6.75 Lakh
MIT-WPU 7.65 Lakh

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

 

116 Courses
1 K - 6.08 K
12 - 24 LPA

#1 NIRF

101 Courses
300 - 2.67 L
4.34 - 12.09 LPA

#3 NIRF

48 K - 2.14 L
8.5 - 16 LPA

#8 NIRF

109 Courses
7.11 K - 19.5 L
9 - 18 LPA

#2 NIRF

71 Courses
75 K - 63.21 L
9.5 - 15.8 LPA

#10 NIRF

Q:   Is it worth joining the top Pharmacy colleges in India?
A:

Joining the best Pharmacy colleges in India can be worthwhile for you. For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some colleges along with their tuition fees and average placement package:

College Name

Tuition Fee

Annual Median Package

Jamia Hamdard CoursesINR 44,000 - INR 9 lakhINR 5 LPA - INR 7 LPA
AIIMS Delhi CoursesINR 2,000 - INR 3,000INR 20 LPA - INR 22 LPA
ICT Mumbai CoursesINR 1 lakh - INR 3 lakhINR 5 LPA
Panjab University CoursesINR 64,000 - INR 76,000INR 7 LPA

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website/ media reports/ NIRF website and may vary.

Q:   Which are the colleges for Pharm.D in Hyderabad?

Popular Private Pharm d doctor of pharmacy Colleges in India

2.84 L - 27.12 L
3.15 LPA

Medicine & Health Sciences Applications open. Apply Now

19 Courses
1.3 L - 3.95 L
2 LPA
5.4 L - 6.4 L
10 Courses
1.4 L - 4 L
3.6
7 L

Medicine & Health Sciences Applications open. Apply Now

10 K - 20.25 L
4.5 LPA

Pharm D Career Scope: Job Profiles, Salary and Top Recruiters

Pharma D is best option for those who wish to work in hospitals, pharmaceutical industries or research institutions, all of which contribute to better health outcomes for patients. A Pharma D course (Doctor of Pharmacy course), can lead to various different academic and professional outcomes. After completing PharmD, one may also pursue a second year B Pharma for further education.

Candidates will find jobs in drug stores in private and government hospitals. They will have a role to review medications and counsel people, in hospitals, NGO's and different organisations. Candidates may also establish a retail or wholesale Pharmacy and become an entrepreneur.

Read More: Pharm D career

Pharma D Core Industries

Candidates can see list of core industries that employ Pharm D graduates below -

Pharma D Core Industries
Universities Research Facilities
Private and Public Industries Hospitals

Pharm D Salary in India

Candidates can see some of their top job profiles with their average Pharm D salary offered in India below in table -

Pharm D Jobs

Pharm D Salary in India

Research Scientists

INR 9.1 LPA

Regulatory Affairs Managers

INR 16.5 LPA

Quality Assurance Managers

INR 18.1 LPA

Medical Writers

INR 5.6 LPA

Pharmacists

INR 2.6 LPA 

Note: Avg. salary has been taken from Ambitionbox.com.

Pharm D Top Recruiters

Here are some of top Pharmaceutical companies which may employ Pharma D course graduates -

Pharma D Top Recruiters

Lupin

Pfizer

Cipla

AbbVie

Piramal

Johnson & Johnson

Sun Pharmaceuticals

GlaxoSmithKline

Aurobindo Pharma

Amgen

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories

Merck

Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Meijr Inc.

Zydus Cadila

Walgreen Pharmacy

Glenmark Pharma

Sanofi

Abbott Laboratories

Emcure

 

Q:   Can Pharm D treat patients?
A:

Certainly, Pharm D course graduates in India can treat patients but the extent of their practice and engagement with patients can vary because of different issues such as their state regulations, the practice setting where they work, their training and specialization.

The ability of Pharm D course graduates to directly engage in patient care, prescribe medicines, or do other clinical activities may be regulated by state Pharmacy councils or by another regulatory body.

Q:   I'm a Pharm D course student. Should I work in a hospital or manufacturing?
A:

If you like interacting with patients, and direct patient care is important to you, and also want to be an integral part of a healthcare team in optimizing medication therapy and improving patient outcomes hospital pharmacy would be a great option.

If you are more interested in the pharmaceutical sector, and like or find the areas of drug development, quality control and manufacturing processes interesting, then pharmaceutical manufacturing will be a better fit.

In any case, I think it is worth your while to consider both of these options through an internship, rotation, or part time position so you can assess the different opportunities in pharmacy practice to evaluate which value and practice setting suits your interests, skills and career aspirations.

Pharma D Course FAQs

Candidates can refer below for Pharma D course FAQs.

Q:   What does a PharmD graduate do?
A:

Pharm D is a professional doctorate in Pharmacy, which helps the student become a pharmacist. The Pharmacist target is to ensure medications is used safely and effectively and for the patients best interests, so pharmacist is important to the system. 
It routinely provides good backgrounds in pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, clinical pharmacy, and, healthcare systems. Therefore, a Pharm D course leads to the pharmaceutical practice profession with accountability for the rational use of medicines and the well-being of patients in differing health care environments. The specifics of the Pharm D course role depend on the practice setting and speciality selected by the pharmacist.

Q:   What is the highest salary for Pharm D?
A:

The salary of a Doctor of Pharmacy course is highly variable in India, based on factors including but not limited to the type of employer, location of employment, years of experience, and job responsibilities.

Here is a rough sense of the salary range of those working in the profession who have completed Pharm D course in India:

Entry-Level Positions (0-2 years of experience):

Employment Area

Pharm D Salary

In retail/community pharmacies

2.5 LPA to 4 LPA

In hospital settings

2.5 LPA to 5 LPA

In pharmaceutical companies

3 LPA to 6 LPA

Mid-Level Positions (2-5 years of experience)

Employment Area

Pharm D Salary

In retail/community pharmacies

4 LPA - 6 LPA

In hospital settings

4.5 LPA - 7 LPA

In pharmaceutical companies

5 LPA - 8 LPA

Experienced Positions (5+ years of experience):

Employment Area

Average Salary (in INR)

In retail/community pharmacies

6 LPA - 10 LPA

In hospital settings

7 LPA - 12 LPA

In pharmaceutical companies

8 LPA - 15 LPA

Popular Pharm d doctor of pharmacy Specializations

Following are the most popular Pharm d doctor of pharmacy Specializations . You can explore the top Colleges offering these Specializations by clicking the links below.

Popular Specializations

Course Cutoffs

The cutoffs of popular Pharm d doctor of pharmacy colleges is given below:
M.Pharm. in Pharmaceutics : MET 2025 Last Round Closing Rank (General-All India)Accordion Icon V3
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Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharma.) : MHT CET 2024 Overall Percentile (General-All India)Accordion Icon V3
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Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 20 hours ago

You can write the icet exam

S

Swarupa Kanchi

Beginner-Level 1

Answered 2 months ago

Yes, with a B. Pharmacy degree, you can enroll in a three-year Pharm.D (Post Baccalaureate) programme and effectively start at the fourth year of a six-year integrated Pharm.D courseThis is often called Pharm.D (PB) or Post Baccalaureate Pharm.D. 

K

Kummari Nandini

Beginner-Level 1