GPAT 2018, the postgraduate aptitude test for pharmacy programme has been conducted on January 28 at various examination centres in many as 58 cities of India. The graduate pharmacy aptitude test is administered by All India Council for Technical Education and held in online mode for three hours. The computer-based test began at 2:30 pm for which candidates were required to report at least an hour before the commencement of the exam. According to the media reports, approximately 30,000 candidates have appeared in GPAT 2018.

How was online GPAT 2018 paper?

Candidates appearing in GPAT 2018 had to answer as many as 125 questions carrying four marks each. These questions were of objective-nature and had multiple-choice options. Candidates were required to choose one correct options among the four, those given against every question. The questions covered the syllabus of graduation level and had questions from various topics including physical pharmacy, microbiology in pharmacy, ethics and jurisprudence of pharmacy, manufacturing, designing and evaluation.

What is the marking scheme of GPAT 2018?

Candidates will be awarded four marks for each correct answer and one mark will be deducted for wrong attempt. Questions which were left un-attempted will be given zero (0) marks, as per the GPAT Exam Pattern.

What after appearing in GPAT 2018?

The GPAT 2017 test takers will be able to check their results of the graduate pharmacy test on February 10. Based on the GPAT results, candidates will have to attend their counselling and finally offered admissions in the pharmacy colleges across India.

The Total Packaging & Processing Show of PharmaPack 2017 concurrently organised with Intelpack-2017, Foodtek 2017 and SupplyChain Expo 2017 on floor space of over 12000 sq. mtrs. The show will attract over 250 Exhibitors and more than 12,000 trade visitors from India and overseas.

The global pharmaceutical industry is projected to grow markedly through the decade, reaching $1.4 trillion and 4.5 trillion doses of medicines by 2020. It is growing rapidly in kind and is expected to surpass $100 billion globally by 2019.

The pharmaceutical packaging sector is expected to grow the fastest among all packaging industry sectors, growing at a five-year CAGR of 3.9 percent through 2019*.

The global pharmaceutical industry is presently undergoing swift expansion, a lot of technology innovations and rapid advancements in manufacturing processes and integrations and these factors are auguring growth of the pharmaceutical packaging industry globally. Due to increasing generic and contract manufacturing activities in Asian countries especially India and China, the emerging geographies are expected to register maximum growth.

The Indian pharmaceutical packaging market is driven by new pharmaceutical products, increasing demand for blister packaging, the growth in anti-counterfeiting and other sophisticated packaging, online printing technology, and investment in R&D across different therapeutic areas

In order to recognise & bring in forefront, the industry leaders who are driving the fast track growth in the industry, India Packaging Awards were launched in 2016 & proved extremely successful. It served as the first and only platform which recognised the Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry for their efforts, contribution & innovation. The top notch industry professionals came together for an evening which was specifically dedicated to celebrate the glory of Indian pharmaceutical packaging industry.

In order to practice as a pharmacist, the person must be registered with the relevant statutory body, which governs the registration and practice of pharmacy within the territory of its jurisdiction. There is often a requirement for the pharmacy graduate to have completed a certain number of hours of experience in a pharmacy, under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. The statutory body will usually administer a written and oral examination to the prospective pharmacist prior to registration.

Australia

In Australia, apart from the four-year BPharm course, there is the option of a postgraduate two-year Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) course for those with undergraduate science degree background.

Pharmacists are registered by Pharmacy Boards in individual states such as the Pharmacy Board of New South Wales. In Western Australia, pharmacists are registered by the Pharmaceutical Council of Western Australia. Individual states have differing requirements for pharmacy graduates for registration, but generally graduates are required to complete approximately one year of practice under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. In addition, graduates are required to complete an approved graduate training course for that state, for example the Pharmacist Graduate Training Course (PGTC) offered by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia NSW Branch is required in New South Wales. On meeting these requirements, graduates are eligible to sit the registration examination which may involve both written and oral components.

Chile

In Chile, students must study six years to become pharmacists. The best school of pharmacy is at Universidad de Chile in Santiago de Chile. Chilean pharmacist are very high skilled professionals, prepared not only to dispense and be able to work at clinical and communitary pharmacy, but in Pharmaceutical, Food and Cosmetic industry too at every level, including drug development (a Degree is needed here), manufacturing, management, marketing, etc., due to the very strong scientific preparation they receive, including engineering and pharmaceutical technology topics. The official title for pharmacists in Chile is Químico Farmacéutico (Chemist and Pharmacist), and their degree is Licenciado en Ciencias Químicas y farmacéuticas (Bachelor in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences).

Denmark

The pharmacist (Danish: farmaceut) education in Denmark takes place at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.

The Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) degree (Danish: bachelor i farmaci) takes 3 years. The Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree (Danish: cand.pharm.) takes 2 more years — a total of 5 years. To work as a pharmacist in a Danish pharmacy a MPharm degree is requested.

After graduation as a pharmacist (MPharm), you can begin the 3 year Doctor of Pharmacy (DPharm) education programme (Danish: dr.pharm.).

Beside the pharmacists, in Denmark there’s another professional group with a pharmaceutical tertiary higher education — i.e. the pharmaconomists (experts in pharmaceuticals)whose education takes place at The Danish College of Pharmacy Practice .

France

In France, a six-year PharmD (called “Doctorat d’Etat en Pharmacie”) must be completed. Sometimes, young pharmacists can choose a four-year post-graduate specialty like Physician. A pharmaceutical residency called “Internat en Pharmacie”. Pharmacists can specialized in Laboratory Medicine called “Biologie médicale” or in Hospital Pharmacy.

Greece

In Greece, a five-year University course must be completed. This course is offered by the University of Athens , the University of Thessaloniki  and the University of Patras . The course comprises 4 years of theory and laboratory practice and a 5th year of compulsory, full-time in-service training in a community pharmacy and the pharmaceutical department of a hospital. An additional trimester placement in a pharmaceutical industry is also an option, however it does not count towards the acquisition of the license to practice. Upon successful completion of the course, a Degree in Pharmacy is awarded.

The pharmacy graduate may pursue a career in the industry after graduation. A career in this field does not require a license to practice pharmacy. However, pharmacists wishing to open a pharmacy, work in hospitals or in the National Organization of Medicines  must first successfully participate in board examinations organized by the Greek Ministry of Health, in order to obtain a License to Practice Pharmacy.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, as with other western nations, a four year BPharm must be completed, followed by an internship at a pharmacy. Pharmacists are registered at thePharmaceutical Society Of New Zealand. The degree can be taken at University Of Otago in Dunedin and University Of Auckland in Auckland.

Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, a 4-year BPharm/BSc Pharm degree must be completed followed by one year of post-registration training. The one year of post registration training must be undertaken in a pharmacy approved by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and under the supervision of a Tutor Pharmacist who has received further training for this role. Trinity College, Dublin was the only university offering the BPharm course in the Irish Republic until recently. In 2003 two new Schools of Pharmacy were opened. A Pharmacy department was created at University College, Cork on the southern coast of Ireland as well as another Pharmacy school in the Irish capital, Dublin. (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland)

Spain

In Spain, the Degree in Pharmacy (called licenciatura en farmacia) is consisting of 5 years. Last one is divided into two semesters, first one is similar as previous years (theory and laboratory practice) but second one is a full-time in-service training in a community pharmacy or at the pharmaceutical department of a hospital. This estructure is changing by another according to European Higher Education Area’s System.

After obtaining degree certificate, there is the chance of opening a pharmacy sitting an examination in order to achieve a license. There is also the chance of postgraduate programs as Masters and Doctorates and of carrying hospital/industry specialty programs out (FIR or farmacéutico interno-residente, pharmacist intern-resident) by means of an examination like medical specialties (MIR). These specialties are: “Hospital pharmacist”, “Clinical microbiology and parasitology”, “Clinical biochemistry”, “Clinical immunology”, “Clinical analysis”, “Radiopharmacy”, “Galenical and industrial pharmacy” and “Drug and medicines’ control and analysis”.

Thailand

In Thailand, there are currently two kinds of programs for Pharmacy studies.

1) a regular 5 years program – Bachelor of Pharmacy

2) a 6 years program – Pharm D.

The universities in Thailand still base their teachings on the regular 5 years program while preparing itself to eb ready for the 6 years Pharm D. program. Anyone graduating with B. Pharm can take extra 2 years course to complete Pharm. D.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, integration with the European Union has resulted in the BPharm and BSc courses being superseded by a four-year course for the qualification Master of Pharmacy (MPharm). In Great Britain the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is responsible for regulation of pharmacy affairs and in Northern Ireland it is thePharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. Graduates must complete one year of practical training and pass a registration examination before they can be entered on the register of pharmacists, known as the register of pharmaceutical chemists.

Please see the List of schools of pharmacy in the United Kingdom which offer the MPharm course.

Pharmacists registered in other countries can also register in the UK. Overseas pharmacists are required to undertake the Overseas Pharmacists Assessment Programme (OSPAP), a one year intensive course focused on pharmacy practice in Great Britain. OSPAP authorisation can be given by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and the course is undertaken either the University of Sunderland, Aston University or the University of Brighton. However, pharmacists that have obtained their qualifications and are registered in other countries of the European Economic Area can register with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain without undergoing additional or pre-registration training.

The term pharmacist is protected in the United Kingdom. It can only be used by individuals that are registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

United States

Traditionally in the United States, the Bachelor of Pharmacy was the first-professional degree for pharmacy practice. However, in 1990, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) mandated that a doctor of pharmacy would be the new first-professional degree beginning with the class of 2006.

PCI is the authority entrusted only to lay down the curricula and other educational norms for various pharmacy courses in the country. AICTE, on the other hand, has the statutory power to regulate the educational programmes in engineering, technology, architecture, town planning, management, applied arts and crafts, hotel management & catering technology besides deciding standards of degree and PG programmes in pharmacy conducted by academic institutions affiliated to various universities. Every year AICTE conducts inspections of pharmacy colleges during the December – January period. PCI also sends its officials to pharmacy colleges for conducting the same inspections every year. AICTE has been granted the authority to sanction new pharmacy colleges as pharmacy education is considered to be a technical education. It is because of the existence of these two bodies doing the same function, the number of pharmacy colleges has gone up to undesirable levels in the country today. Many of the pharmacy colleges have no adequate number of faculty and even basic infrastructure affecting quality of the professionals coming out. Pharmacy education needs to be periodically improved a lot from the current level if India has to reach global standards. For achieving this, it would be ideal that a single authority like PCI is made accountable for regulating and developing it. AICTE already has the responsibility to oversee several other technical education programmes in the country.

Pharmacy education stands to be the corner stone for improving employability of upcoming pharma professionals in India as well as in overseas countries.It is imperative that for improving quality of pharmacy education,there is need for framing world class infrastructure and highly qualified faculties, which can well equipped newer professionals to meet with global standards of employment.

The current controversy prevailing beteen the two bodies responsible for pharmacy education in india such as Pharma council of india and All council of Technical education need to be resolved by central government and only pharmaceutical council of India should be empowered for promoting and improving pharmacy education in India.

The central government should sanction special budgets to Pharmaceutical council of India for developing world class infrastructure and highly qualified faculties to meet pharma professionals quality with global standards.