D.Pharm syllabus 2026 — full subject list, ER-2020
Year 1 and Year 2 subjects, hours per topic, and the practical training breakdown for the PCI ER-2020 syllabus.
The D.Pharm syllabus follows the PCI ER-2020 (Education Regulation 2020) framework — a competency-based curriculum that replaced the older ER-1991 in 2020. It runs across two academic years with six subjects per year plus a 500-hour practical training block.
Year 1 — foundations
Pharmaceutics-I
Dosage forms, prescription handling, packaging
Pharmaceutical Chemistry-I
Inorganic + general organic chemistry
Pharmacognosy
Crude drugs, plant-derived medicines, identification
Biochemistry & Clinical Pathology
Enzymes, metabolism, lab tests
Human Anatomy & Physiology
Body systems, normal vs disordered function
Health Education & Community Pharmacy
First aid, preventive health, counselling
Each subject runs for 75 hours of theory + 75 hours of practical in year 1.
Year 2 — clinical + practice
Pharmaceutics-II
Sterile manufacturing, prescription compounding
Pharmaceutical Chemistry-II
Medicinal chemistry, drug structures
Pharmacology & Toxicology
Drug actions, side effects, overdose handling
Pharmaceutical Jurisprudence
Drug laws, pharmacy ethics, narcotics control
Drug Store & Business Management
Inventory, finance, retail operations
Hospital & Clinical Pharmacy
Ward rounds, patient counselling, drug interactions
Year 2 also requires a 500-hour structured practical training at a recognised hospital or community pharmacy. Most colleges arrange this with partner pharmacies during semester 4.
Practical training (500 hours)
This is the single biggest competency-vs-compliance gap across colleges. The PCI mandates 500 hours but enforcement varies. Here's what genuine practical training should include:
- Hospital pharmacy rotation (250 hours)OPD dispensing, in-patient ward duties, drug verification, sterile preparation areas.
- Community pharmacy rotation (250 hours)Retail counter, prescription handling, OTC counselling, schedule-H drug logging, inventory management.
- Logbook maintenanceWeekly signed logs of every drug dispensed, every patient interaction, every supervisor sign-off.
- Final vivaOral examination at end of semester 4 — 30% of practical marks.
Some colleges run "practical training" as classroom shadowing instead of real pharmacy rotations. Ask current year-2 students: "Where did you do your 500 hours, and how often did you actually see patients?" If the answer is vague, the college is gaming the requirement and you'll struggle on the exit exam.
Exam pattern
Each subject is examined separately at the end of its respective year:
| Component | Marks | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Theory | 80 | 3-hour written, mix of MCQ + short + long answers |
| Internal assessment | 20 | Class tests, attendance, assignments |
| Practical | 50 | Lab procedure + viva |
| Total per subject | 150 | Pass mark: 50% theory + 50% practical (separate) |
Failing one subject = repeat that subject's exam in 6 months. Failing two = re-do the year.
After year 2 — exit exam
The ER-2020 syllabus aligns directly with the Pharmacist Registration Examination that PCI conducts annually. Topics in the exit exam map 1:1 with subjects in year 2 — so a student who took year 2 seriously should have a 70%+ pass rate on the exit exam first attempt.