GPAT Examination - Eligibility, Syllabus, Exam Pattern and Scopes

GPAT – Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test is computer based online examination conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) for students who want to pursue Master’s in Pharmacy. Previously, GPAT was conducted by All India Council for Technical Education. The test is conducted over a duration of 3 hours and the scores obtained by the candidates is accepted by all AICTE approved universities and institutions. The results also determine the scholarship opportunities and other financial allowances for the students.

GPAT Eligibility

1. Candidates should be a citizen of India

2. Candidates should have completed 4 years Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy after completing 10+2

3. For lateral entry candidates, a 4 years Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy after 10+2 is also needed to sit for the GPAT examination.

4. Candidates who are in the final year or fourth year of Graduate Pharmacy Programme are also eligible to sit for the GPAT examination.

5. Students who are in the first to third year of Bachelor’s in Pharmacy Programme are not eligible to sit for the GPAT examination.

6. Students who have completed B.Tech in Pharmaceutical and fine Chemical Technology or any other equivalent examination are not eligible to sit for the GPAT examination.

Syllabus

The GPAT examination syllabus is divided into four sections

a) Pharmaceutics

b) Pharmaceutical Chemistry

c) Pharmacology

d) Pharmacognosy

GPAT Pharmaceutics syllabus has Physical Pharmacy, Microbiology in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence and Ethics, Introduction to Dispensing and Community Pharmacy, The importance of unit Operations in Manufacturing, Stoichiometry, Dosages Forms, designing and evolution

GPAT Pharmaceutical Chemistry syllabus has Inorganic Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and its importance in Pharmacy, Biochemistry, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis.

GPAT Pharmacology syllabus covers Immunopathophysiology, Pathophysiology of common diseases, Fundamentals of General Pharmacology and Basic concepts of Pharmacology.

GPAT Pharmacognosy syllabus covers Sources of Drugs, Carbohydrates, Tannins, Volatile Oils, Fibers, Glycoside Containing Drugs, Alkaloid Containing Drugs and Studies of Traditional Drugs.

GPAT syllabus for General Techniques has General Techniques for Biosynthetic Studies, Basic Metabolic Pathways/Biogenesis, Tarpenes, Glycosides, Alkaloids, The role of plant based drugs in National Economy, Applications of Plant based Tissue Culture in Pharmacognosy and Marine Pharmacognosy.

Examination Pattern

As mentioned above, GPAT is a computer based online examination. The medium of the examination is English language. It is an MCQ type examination that has 125 questions with 500 marks in total. Students are awarded 4 marks for every right answer whereas for every incorrect answer they get a negative marking of 1 mark.

Top 5 Books to Prepare for GPAT

1. Review of Pharmacy – by Leela Prabhakar

2. Pharmacist Exam English – by Pratiyogita Kiran & Kicx Think Tank of Kiran Prakashan

3. Essentials of Medical Pharmacology – by K.D. Tripathi

4. Pharmacognosy – by Dr. C.K. Kokate

5. Pharmacology: Prep Manual for Undergraduates – by Tara Shanbhag and Smita Shenoy