Phnom Penh (Cambodia): Photo shows the fake medicine in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. About 5.1 tonnes of counterfeit medicine were burned down on Friday on the outskirts of capital Phnom Penh by police.
Pharmacy courses in India are among the most popular courses. The study of pharmacy involves health sciences and chemical sciences and pharmacists are pharmaceutical experts and primary health professionals. Pharmacy education and profession in India is regulated by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI). It is a statuary body formed under the provisions of Pharmacy Act 1948.
Responsibilities of PCI
- The pharmacy council of India regulates the practice of pharmacy in India
- PCI prescribes standards required for pharmacist to practise in India.
- It frames educational regulations for institutions providing pharmacy education.
- It approves the course of study and examination for pharmacists.
- PCI maintains a central register of pharmacists.
- It ensures uniform standard of pharmacy education in the country.
Pharmacy courses
D.Pharm
Diplima in Pharmacy is popularly known as D. Pharm In India. It is a two year- undergraduate course offered by pharmacy colleges. D. Pharm is the minimum qualification required to become a registered pharmacist in India. D.Pharm course does not provide specialized education; the basic concepts of pharmaceutical science is taught. A candidate who wish to pursue this course is required to pass the senior secondary examination with physics, chemistry and biology or mathematics as optional subjects.
B. Pharm
B.Pharm is four-year undergraduate degree which enables candidates to practise as professional pharmacists. The courses covers healthcare and biochemical science. The basic eligibility for studying for B.Pharm is a pass in the Senior Secondary Examination with 50 percent marks. The candidate should have studied physics, chemistry and mathematics. In some states it is necessary to take the entrance test to get a place on the course.
B.Pharm entrance exams
Objective type questions are asked in exam. Mostly the duration of the test is one hour and 30 minutes and the test covers physics chemistry, biology and mathematics at the higher secondary level.
Major B.Pharm entrance exams are:
- Banaras Hindu University BAMS/B. Pharma (Ay) Entrance Test
- B.Sc Pharma Entrance Exam Rohtak, Maharshi Dayanand University
- VELS University Entrance Examination
- Maharashtra B.Pharm Common Entrance Test
- Himachal Pradesh University Shimla B.Pharma Entrance Test
- B.Sc Pharma Common Entrance Exam, Kerala
- B.Sc Pharma Entrance Exam in Punjab
- State Entrance Examination Uttar Pradesh (SEE-UPTU)
- Rajasthan Pre Entrance Test for Pharmacy (RPETEAP)
- B.Sc Pharma Entrance Exam Bareilly
M.Pharm
Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm) is a postgraduate program in India. Candidates who wish to do M.Pharm are required to gain B.Pharm first. The two-year course lays emphasis on research and specialization in the field of pharmacy. There are several colleges in India offering M.Pharm In various specialities like pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacognosy and pharmaceutical biotechnology.
M.Pharm Entrance Exams
Objective type questions are asked in the entrance test and duration of the test is usually 2hours. The entrance test is based on the curriculum for undergraduate pharmacy course. The important test are listed below:
- The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) JEE Entrance
- Kerala CEE Entrance exam for MPharm
- Bharath Vidyapeeth University entrance for pharmacy courses.
- Manipal university entrance for MPharm
Pharm.D
Pharm.D is a pre-PhD, postgraduate program introduced in India to improve clinical pharmacy services. The entry requirement for this six-year program is senior secondary education with mathematics and science as optional subjects. The course involves five years of academic activity and one year of internship.
Entrance exam
Most of the institutes offer admission to Pharm.D course on the basis of an entrance test held by the concerned University/College/Autonomous Institution. Some of the popular entrance tests for Pharm.D course are listed below:
- Amrita Viswavidyapeeth Pharm-D entrance examination
- Manipal University Online Entrance Test and Engineering
- All India Entrance Test Pharm-D
- Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test (EAMCET)
PhD in Pharmacy
Candidates who have done M.Pharm can do PhD in pharmacy. Admission is on the basis of educational background, profile and interview. There are many colleges offering PhD in India;
- Manipal University Pharmacy College
- Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Research.
- Culcutta Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology and Allied Sciences
- Birla Institute of technology Ranchi
- Sri Ramachandra University Chennai