Admission to M Pharm or Master of Pharmacy in India is mostly based on entrance examinations with some major tests such as GPAT, NIPER JEE, state level entrance tests such as AP PGECET and TS PGECET are accepted by the majority of universities. The candidates are required to complete the B. Pharm degree from a PCI recognized institution, and generally have an aggregate of 50% marks. The procedure is held via registering for entrance exams, attending them, followed by a counselling session on the basis of merit list.
The shortlisted candidates after their entrance exams undergo counselling sessions where they are advised to choose which specialization and colleges they want to join based on their ranks as per number of seats. Confirmation of admission is done after verification of the documents and payment of fees. Interviews or academic merit may take place together/without admission tests by some institutes. Applicants are advised to frequently monitor official notification dates, application deadlines and ensure particular eligibility and admission requirements as it may differ among institutions.
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M Pharm Eligibility Criteria
The students must complete the following eligibility criteria to take admission in M Pharm colleges in India:
- Students must hold a B Pharm degree from a PCI/ AICTE-certified college or university with at least 50% aggregate marks (45% for reserved categories).
- Students must pass the GPAT exam or another national and state-level with a valid score for M Pharm.
- Students are preferred based on the relevance undergraduate subjects such as Drug Development, Analysis, Pharmaceutics, etc.
- The candidates in the final year of B Pharm may apply provisionally after submission of final marks.
- There is no age limit.
M Pharm Entrance Exams
Check the tables below for getting details about M Pharm national level and few of the university and state level entrance exams:
National Level:
State Level:
University Level:
M Pharm Admission Process
Here are a few steps of admission Process for M Pharm at NIPER Hyderabad (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Hyderabad):
Step 1: Fill in the online application on the official web portal niper.gov.in within the deadline and deposit the application fee.
Step 2: Upload mark sheets of Class 10/12 and B Pharm, GPAT scorecard (where applicable), ID proof, and category/pwD certificates.
Step 3: Exams are generally conducted in many test centres of Hyderabad.
Step 4: NIPER JEE ranks are published in the form of merit lists by the end of June. M Pharm intake is short-listed only by top-ranked candidates (usually in top 150).
Step 5: The short listed candidates come to SAS Nagar (Mohali) to do physical counselling, verify documents, selection of specialization and seat allotment on rank and availability basis.
Step 6: Enroll by paying the first semester programme fee, by submitting original documents and once you are admitted attend classes.
FAQs
Is work experience required for M Pharm admission?
Generally fresh B Pharm graduates are eligible for admission in the Master of Pharmacy program. A few colleges may prefer work experience depending on the specific specializations.
Is it possible to get admission in M Pharm without cracking GPAT?
Yes, many private colleges and some universities offer admission based on other state-level entrance exams or directly on the basis of merit (B Pharm marks), especially if seats remain vacant after entrance-based counselling.
Is counselling mandatory for all M Pharm entrance-based seats?
Yes, qualified candidates must participate in centralized or institutional counselling (offline or online) to gain a seat based on the entrance rank for admission in the Master of Pharmacy program.
How are seats allotted if multiple entrance exams are accepted?
Most of the colleges give preference to GPAT qualified candidates, after that remaining seats are filled with those qualifying via other exams or direct merit in admission in the Master of Pharmacy program.
Are scholarships available for M Pharm students?
GPAT qualified candidates are eligible for AICTE post-graduate scholarships (currently around INR 12,400 per month), and universities may have their own merit or need-based schemes.
Is direct (merit-based) M Pharm admission possible everywhere?
No, but many private colleges and some self-financed universities consider Bachelor of Pharmacy marks during management or vacant seats if entrance test seats are vacant,
Do private and public colleges follow the same admission rules for M Pharm admission?
The detailed process is similar, but private colleges have more flexibility in direct admission and management quota seats as compared to government institutions for the Master of Pharmacy program.
