Why India’s B.Pharm graduates need a standardised National Exit Exam

India’s pharmaceutical industry has achieved international recognition as the “Pharmacy of the World,” particularly for its imperative role in supplying vaccines, essential medicines, and medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The sector has showcased its innovative capabilities and established itself as a crucial global pharmaceutical value chain member. The country’s pharmaceutical support and export extends to both the developing and the developed countries worldwide. 

Despite this robust foundation, a critical issue within the sector remains unaddressed, which is the lack of a standardised competency examination for Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) graduates, who are the backbone of the industry due to their substantial demand. 

In 2022, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) introduced a much-needed National Exit Exam for the Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm) graduates, to ensure minimum competency standards before licensing. This is an essential reform, but at the same time, it raises a pressing question as to why isn’t the same accountability is not being demanded of B.Pharm graduates who undergo a longer, more in-depth curriculum and are expected to take on more complex roles across the research industry and clinical care. 

The gap no longer remains academic but it poses a direct consequence for healthcare outcomes, patient safety and the future workforce quality. 

National level exit exam for its B.Pharm Graduates: Addressing readiness and ensuring standards 

Significant disparities exist in the academic and practical training offered by India’s 4500+ B.Pharm colleges. While premier institutions boast state-of-the-art laboratories and robust industry connections, a larger proportion of graduates emerge from smaller colleges, often grappling with outdated syllabi, underqualified faculty, and limited practical exposure. Adding to these concerns, recent CBI investigations revealed that 870 pharmacy colleges received approval in a mere 13 days—some via cursory online inspections—raising serious questions about the inadequate verification of faculty, infrastructure, and lab facilities as mandated by regulatory norms. 

In such a fragmented ecosystem, a national exit exam would bring in the much-needed standardisation and credibility. It would ensure that all students, regardless of their institution, meet a consistent minimum competency level before entering the professional field. 

Nepal serves as a compelling example of this model, where the Nepal Pharmacy Council (NPC) enforced a national licensing examination for all its pharmacy graduates. The model

has proven effective in maintaining professional standards and enhancing the credibility of Nepal’s pharmaceutical education. If a smaller country like Nepal with limited institutional capacity can successfully implement such a reform, there is no rationale for India, a global pharmaceutical hub, to delay similar advancements. 

It’s no longer about reputation but also about safeguarding patient care 

Pharmacists today are no longer just confined to the back rooms of manufacturing units, but they are frontline essential professionals involved in patient counselling, validating prescriptions, monitoring adverse drug reactions, and often preventing life-threatening errors. The lack of this clinical readiness among fresh graduates is not merely an employability issue but can lead to a major public health concern. 

Poor understanding of drug interaction, improper dispensing, and dosage miscalculation can even lead to serious and irreversible harm. This is especially critical as India expands its Jan Aushadhi Kendra, digital pharmacies, and rural healthcare centres. A national-level quality check examination would not only filter out unsafe practices but would also add credibility to the future-ready workforce at the global level. 

Leveraging data from such assessments 

Data from such assessments would be invaluable for workforce planning, providing the PCI and Ministry of Health with insights into region-specific performance trends, institution-wise gaps and subject-level deficiencies. 

This would facilitate more strategic decisions regarding the scholarship allocation and funding of underserved regions, identifying areas with pharmacist surpluses or deficits, and further guiding the restructure of a national reskilling or faculty development program. 

Adapting to the digital health future 

In the past years, India has seen a surge in digital health platforms such as 1mg, PharmEasy, and Flipkart Health+, underscoring a critical need for pharmacists to be adept at navigating tech-centric environments. Roles now require proficiency in areas like digital prescriptions, remote consultations, data privacy protocols, and AI-assisted drug validation. 

A national exit exam, if formulated with a forward-looking approach, could integrate these crucial aspects into its structure. This would guarantee that our pharmacy graduates are not only employable today but are prepared for future challenges in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. 

Unlocking global mobility

Another overlooked benefit has been global recognition, with Indian pharmacy graduates facing hurdles seeking licensure abroad due to a lack of a standardised post-degree certification. A nationally governed exit exam would serve as a possible proof of competency, opening doors for candidates in high-income countries that demand licensure exams, such as the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, etc. 

The shift would transform India’s brain drain into brain deployment, enabling our skilled but unutilized professionals to make meaningful contributions both at home and on a global stage. 

India’s leading pharmaceutical companies have long voiced this concern about skills mismatch, lack of practical exposure, weak regulatory understanding and poor clinical acumen acting as the obstacle in the direct onboarding of Indian pharma graduates. 

A national exit exam could serve as a reliable trust metric for recruiters, providing them with third-party verified benchmarks to assess candidates beyond their university degrees. This would further initiate a positive feedback loop, prompting curricular upgrades, better teaching investments, and closer alignment with industry needs. 

From reform to responsibility 

This is not about burdening students with another exam. It is about building a trustworthy, globally-aligned, future-ready pharmacy workforce that can deliver safe, effective, and ethical healthcare in an evolving landscape. 

Having established a minimum competency standard for entry-level pharmacy professionals via the D.Pharm exit exam, it’s now imperative to apply the same foresight and stringency to B.Pharm graduates. 

India has made significant strides in reforming its pharmacy education. Now, it’s crucial to finalise these reforms where their impact will be most profound.