A career in Pharmacy has gained much traction over the last few years. Pharmaceutical science is a broad field with scope and applications in medical, drug, research, and education fields. With the increasing scope of pharmacy in India, the requirement for pharmacy graduates has increased exponentially. To pursue a career in the Pharmaceutical industry, there are three major Pharmacy courses offered at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in India.
The undergraduate level has two options for students - Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) and Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm) courses. While at the postgraduate level there is Masters in Pharmacy (M.Pharm). The eligibility to pursue undergraduate courses - B.Pharm and D.Pharm is similar. Class 12 students who have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are eligible to pursue undergraduate pharmacy courses. However, students are often found confused amongst the two UG pharmacy courses, B.Pharm and D.pharm. Careers360 brings this article to help pharmacy aspirants in solving their dilemma of B.Pharm vs D.Pharm, Which is better? Read the article below to know about the course, differnce between B.Pharma and D.Pharma, eligibility, admissions, colleges, fee structure, curriculum, scope and career opportunities in B.pharm and D.pharm.
The science and practice of preparing and dispensing medicines/ drugs are known as pharmacy. It involves ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs. The professionals who specialise in the use of medicines, composition, effects and other modalities are pharmacists or druggists. To be a pharmacist or drug inspector, an aspirant must undergo an undergraduate degree to build a career in Pharmacy. At an initial stage, Class 12 candidates have two most sought-after options to pursue a Pharmacy course- B.Pharm (Bachelor in Pharmacy) and D.Pharm (Diploma in Pharmacy). However, most young candidates are in a dilemma to choose one. The table below is an overview of B.Pharm and D.Pharm courses.
Particulars | Diploma in Pharmacy D.Pharm | Bachelor of Pharmacy B.Pharm |
Name of the course | Diploma in Pharmacy | Bachelor of Pharmacy |
Level of education | Undergraduate | Undergraduate |
Course type | Diploma course | Degree |
Duration of course | D Pharma course duration- 2 years | B Pharma course duration- 4 years |
Internship/training | No | No |
Specializations offered | No | Yes |
Eligibility | Passed class 12 with 55% marks | Qualified class 12 with at least 55% marks |
Subjects studied | Physics, Chemistry, Biology | Physics, Chemistry, Biology |
Admission criteria | State entrance exams, University entrance tests, counselling-based, merit-based admission | National/State level entrance tests |
Exams accepted | AP EAMCET, state-level counselling | BITSAT, AP EAMCET, MET, UPSEE, WBJEE, TS EAMCET |
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The table below discusses the course structure of D.Pharm and B.Pharm. The major subjects which are included in the curriculum of D.Pharm and B.Pharm are mentioned below.
Particulars | Diploma in Pharmacy | Bachelor of Pharmacy |
Subjects included in the course curriculum | Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, Biochemistry & Clinical Pathology, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Health Education & community pharmacy, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence, Drug store and Business Management, Hospital & Clinical Pharmacy | Pharmaceutical Analysis, Remedial Mathematical Biology, Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Basic Electronics & Computer Applications, Pharmaceutics, Mathematics, Anatomy, Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Pathophysiology of Common Diseases, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence & Ethics, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, |
College Name | City |
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research | Hyderabad |
Jamia Hamdard | New Delhi |
Birla Institute of Technology & Science | Pilani, Rajasthan |
JSS College of Pharmacy | Ooty |
Institute of Chemical Technology | Mumbai |
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research | Mohali |
JSS College of Pharmacy | Mysore |
Panjab University | Chandigarh |
Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences | Manipal |
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | Coimbatore |
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The table below compares the fee structure of D.Pharm vs B.Pharm in top pharmacy institutes in India. To know the comparison between D.Pharm vs B.Pharm course fees, check the table below.
Institute name | D.Pharm annual fees | B.Pharm annual fees |
Jamia Hamdard University | Rs. 80,000 | Rs. 1, 20, 000 |
Institute of Chemical Technology | -- | Rs. 1,78,000 |
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali | -- | Rs. 1,36,000 |
Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research | Rs. 12, 085 | Rs. 22, 385 |
Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences | Rs. 60, 000 | Rs. 2,85,000 |
University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chandigarh | -- | Rs. 14, 665 |
Career options for both D.Pharm and B.Pharm graduates are similar in nature. However, being a degree course, B. Pharm graduates are often given preference over D.pharm students. Check the career opportunities after completing B.pharm or D.Pharm below.
Pharmacist in a hospital
Drug inspector at a hospital
Work as a drug inspector or pharmacist in the government sector
Open a medicine retail shop
Work at a pharmacy store
Work in a drug manufacturing company
Work in the education sector
Pursue higher studies, that is, B.pharm
Drug inspector
Food inspector
Researcher
Analyst
Government/ Defence sector
Pharma consultant
Public testing lab
Pharmaceutical firms
Faculty in a pharmacy college
Pursue M.Pharm or MBA
Determining the "best" pharmacy course depends on candidate's interests, career goals, and the specific area of pharmacy you want to specialize in. The "best" course depends on career aspirations of the candidate. If one is interested in patient care and clinical practice, Pharm.D might be suitable. For a strong foundation in pharmaceutical science and industry, B.Pharm is essential. If a candidate wants to specialize in a particular field or pursue research, M.Pharm or Ph.D. would be appropriate.