The short answer is: it depends on where you're applying. But that answer is useless without context, so here's the full picture.
CUET (Common University Entrance Test), conducted by NTA, was introduced in 2022 as a centralised undergraduate entrance exam for central universities. Before that, most universities either used board marks directly or ran their own entrance tests. CUET changed the rules specifically for central universities. For other institution types, nothing really changed.
For Central Universities: Yes, CUET Is Required
If you're applying to a B.Pharm program at a central university, CUET is compulsory.
Institutions like Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Jamia Hamdard, and Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University fall into this category. Your Class 12 marks alone won't secure a seat at these places anymore. The CUET score is the primary criterion, and not appearing for it means not being considered.
The subjects you need to select in CUET for pharmacy programs are typically Physics, Chemistry, and Biology or Mathematics, depending on the specific university. Some accept both PCB and PCM backgrounds. There's also a general test component that certain universities include as a requirement. Check the exact CUET subject requirements for each target university before registering, because selecting wrong subjects means your score simply won't count.
For Most Other Colleges: No, It's Not Required
Here's what most students don't fully appreciate: the majority of pharmacy seats in India are not at central universities.
State government pharmacy colleges admit students through state-level counselling, usually based on Class 12 marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Mathematics, sometimes combined with a state pharmacy entrance score. Each state runs its own process. Rajasthan uses state counselling linked to pharmacy merit lists. Maharashtra uses MHT-CET. Delhi has its own system for state quota seats. None of these require CUET.
Private universities and deemed universities set their own admission criteria. Many run their own entrance tests. Some admit purely on Class 12 merit. A few have voluntarily opted into accepting CUET scores alongside their own tests, but this isn't the norm. If a private university requires CUET, it will state that clearly in its admission notification. If it isn't mentioned, don't assume it applies.
For D.Pharm specifically, CUET doesn't come into the picture at all. D.Pharm admissions run through state pharmacy councils and affiliated institutes, governed by Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) regulations. State boards handle counselling independently, and eligibility is based on Class 12 marks with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology or Mathematics.
What About M.Pharm?
CUET is for undergraduate admissions. For postgraduate pharmacy, the relevant national exam is GPAT — Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test, also conducted by NTA. GPAT scores are used by central universities, NITs, and many private institutions for M.Pharm admissions. CUET doesn't apply at the postgraduate level.
The NEET Mix-Up
Students sometimes wonder if NEET scores matter for pharmacy. They don't. NEET is for MBBS, BDS, Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy, and nursing programs. Pharmacy is regulated separately by the Pharmacy Council of India, not the Medical Council of India.
There's been ongoing discussion about creating a single national entrance test for undergraduate pharmacy programs, but as of now, no such centralised test exists. The undergraduate pharmacy admission process remains split across state systems and institution-specific routes.
Before You Apply to Any Pharmacy Program
A few things worth confirming regardless of which entrance route applies:
PCI approval is non-negotiable. The Pharmacy Council of India maintains an updated list of approved institutions. A college without PCI approval means the degree won't be recognised for pharmacy practice in India. Check this first, before anything else.
Read the specific admission notification for the current year. Not general information online, not last year's brochure. Admission rules change. A university that accepted CUET scores last year might have changed its process. One that didn't might have added it. The current-year notification is the only reliable source.
If you're targeting multiple states, know that each has its own counselling timeline and its own eligibility conditions. Managing applications across different states takes more coordination than it looks like on paper.
For central university programs specifically, register on the NTA portal when CUET registrations open, which is usually early in the calendar year. Late registration isn't typically accommodated.
The Actual Situation, Plainly
CUET is mandatory only for pharmacy programs at central universities. State colleges, private universities, and deemed universities that haven't opted into CUET use their own admission systems. D.Pharm admissions don't involve CUET. M.Pharm uses GPAT.
If you're applying to a mix of institution types, appearing in CUET keeps central university options open without closing off other routes. But CUET alone won't cover most of the pharmacy seats you'll be competing for. State counselling processes and individual university applications are where the bulk of admissions actually happen.
The pharmacy admission system in India is genuinely fragmented. There isn't one exam that unlocks everything, which means more applications to manage but also more than one path into a decent program.
Which Colleges Don't Need CUET and Still Offer Good Programs
This is worth spelling out because students sometimes equate "requires CUET" with "is a better college." That's not accurate.
JSS College of Pharmacy (Ooty and Mysuru), Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, NIPER institutions, and hundreds of PCI-approved state government colleges run consistently strong programs without CUET being part of the admission process.
NIITs, state pharmacy schools in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have produced large numbers of pharmacists in industry and clinical practice without ever having had a CUET system.
The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) institutions are a separate category worth knowing. These are autonomous institutes of national importance for pharmaceutical sciences. Admission is through the NIPER Joint Entrance Exam, which is its own separate test. CUET doesn't apply, and NIPER programs are considered among the best in the country for pharmaceutical sciences at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
State pharmacy colleges in Rajasthan, for context, admit B.Pharm students through a counselling process managed by the Board of Technical Education Rajasthan (BTER) or the relevant state technical education body. Admission is merit-based on Class 12 PCB or PCM marks. The fee structure at government institutions is substantially lower than private colleges, and many of these colleges have decent industry placement records.
A Note on How CUET Scores Are Actually Used
Even at central universities that require CUET, the score isn't always the only factor. Some universities weight CUET scores against Class 12 marks in certain proportions. Others use CUET as the sole criterion. A few have reserved categories with different cutoff calculations.
The NTA releases official information about participating universities and their specific CUET usage policies each year. Reading that document before registering is genuinely useful, especially if you're planning applications strategically across multiple central universities.
CUET scores are valid for the admission cycle they're taken in. Unlike NEET scores, which have had various validity rules over the years, CUET scores don't carry forward to the following year's admissions. If you appear in 2025, those scores are for 2025-26 admissions only.