D Pharm or Diploma in Pharmacy is a 2 years diploma level degree course in the field of Pharmacy, specially designed for those who don’t want to pursue 4 years B.Pharma course. After completing a Diploma in Pharmacy, they can practice as a pharmacist under the supervision of a Senior Pharmacist.
D.Pharm is quite different from B.Pharma course, where candidates study about a large variety of medicines and drugs and is an undergraduate-level course. Obviously, there will be a big difference between what you study in 4 semesters vs what you study in 8 semesters.
D.Pharm focus on both, theory as well as practical knowledge of the subject that is required for a better understanding of the field. With a D.Pharm degree, one can find employment in areas like pharmacy, narcotics control, drugs distribution and manufacturing companies.
COURSE DETAILS
| Course name | Diploma in Pharmacy |
| Short name | D.Pharm or D.Pharma |
| Degree | Diploma Degree |
| Specialization | Pharmaceutics |
| Course Duration | 2 years |
| Mode | Regular |
| Selection process | Entrance based/ Direct |
| Average Fees | ₹ 10,000 – 1 lakh per annum |
Eligibility
- Minimum Qualification Required for this course is 10+2, with minimum 50% aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Mathematics.
- For SC/ST/OBC candidates, minimum 45% aggregate marks are required.
- Candidate must have studied science stream with PCM, PCB or PCMB with English as a mandatory subject.
- The minimum age of eligibility is 17 years. The upper age limit varies from college to college.
Admission Process For D.Pharma
Entrance Based
In order to take admission for D.Pharma course in any Government or Private colleges, candidates need to appear for different state-level diploma entrance exams followed by a counselling process.
Merit Based
- Few colleges and Universities provide direct admission for D.Pharma course on the basis of 10+2 examinations score.
- In that case, a merit list is generated by the college/university and admissions are provided on the basis of marks obtained in class 12th.
D.Pharma Course Fees
The Average Annual Fees for D.Pharma Course varies from College to college. The average fees are between ₹10,000 to ₹1 lakh per year.
Here is the fee structure for some top private colleges offering B.Pharma course
| SNo. | Institution | Total Fees |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi | ₹ 1,80,000 |
| 2. | PSG College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore | ₹ 1,00,000 |
| 3. | Integral University, Lucknow | ₹ 1,60,000 |
| 4. | JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysore | ₹ 80,540 |
| 5. | Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal | ₹ 1,15,000 |
D.Pharma Top Government Colleges and Fees
| SNo. | Institution | Total Fees |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Govt. College of Pharmacy, Bangalore | ₹28,060 |
| 2. | Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, New Delhi | ₹35,350 |
| 3. | Govt. College of Pharmacy, Aurangabad | ₹30,000 |
| 4. | Annamalai University, Annamalai | ₹32,700 |
| 5. | SLT Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur. | ₹50,600 |
| 6. | Goa College of Pharmacy, Panjim | ₹23,600 |
D.Pharm Course Curriculum
1st Year
- Pharmaceutics – 1
- Biochemistry and Clinical Pathology
- Pharmacognosy
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry – 1
- Health Education and Community Pharmacy
2nd Year
- Pharmaceutics – 2
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Drug Store and Business Management
- Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence
- Hospital and Clinical Pharmacy
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry – 2
Scope for Higher Studies after D.Pharma
After completing your diploma in pharmacy, you can pursue higher study like B.pharma, with specializations like Ayurveda. There’s an option to take a lateral entry into 2nd year of the B.pharma course just after the completion of D.pharma and the course duration is shortened to 3 years. One can also choose Pharma (Hons.), which is a 4 years course.
Career options and Salary after D.Pharma
D.Pharma provides you with a variety of employment options and job opportunities. The average salary of a person with a D.pharma degree is around ₹ 2 – 5 lakh per annum.
Pharmacy Diploma holders can also get entry-level jobs in government sectors such as Food & Drug Administration, Government Pharmacies, Government Healthcare Centers, Medical Dispensing Stores etc.
The top career opportunities after D.Pharm Course are
| SNo. | Job Profile | Average salary per annum |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Assistant Pharmacist | ₹ 2.56 lakh |
| 2. | Dispensary Pharmacist | ₹ 1 to 4 lakh |
| 3. | Consultant Pharmacist | ₹ 2.90 lakh |
| 4. | Medical Representatives | ₹ 3.8 lakh |
| 5. | Hospitals | ₹ 2 lakh |
| 6. | Medicine Safety Manager | ₹ 5.68 lakh |
| 7. | Quality Service Officer | ₹ 3 lakh |
| 8. | Medical Advisors | ₹ 5 to 10 lakh |
More Job opportunities are available after completing Graduation and Post Graduation courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can do any one of the above course after completing your Diploma in Pharmacy because D.pharma is a diploma level course. So, you are free to do any Bachelor level course if you want.
It depends on your career perspectives. If you want to pursue higher studies upto post graduation, like M.pharma or any other course, you should not waste your time in doing diploma because you will need a bachelor’s degree for pursuing Master’s degree. In that case, B.pharma is a better option.
These two courses have a big difference between them. D.pharma stands for Diploma in Pharmacy, which is an entry level diploma course, whereas Pharma.D stands for Doctorate of Pharmacy, which is the highest level course in Pharmacy.
