GPAT 2021 exam begins amid COVID-19; this is how students prepared

NEW DELHI: The Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test, or GPAT 2021 exam, is being held in computer-based mode from 3 pm to 6 pm and candidates arrived at the exam centre in Gurugram, Haryana, with masks on, clutching sanitisers and maintaining distance from each other. As with all other exams it has conducted, the National Testing Agency (NTA) had prescribed a separate set of protocols for preventing the spread of COVID-19 at the GPAT 2021 exam centres. The GPAT admit card 2021 included a self-declaration form that the candidate had to fill as part of the COVID-19 safety measures.

Many of the candidates who arrived at the GPAT 2021 exam centre in Gurugram on Saturday afternoon had written the entrance test for MPharm courses before. Kapil, from Delhi, was appearing for the second time and had prepared by himself without any extra paid tutoring. Most candidates hope to land a place in one of the National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs), top public institutions for pharmacy.

As per the previous years’ statistics, 50,975 B.Pharm graduates appeared for GPAT 2020, up 40,649 in 2019.

Self-study for GPAT 2021

Kapil from Delhi was attempting GPAT for the second time. He said; “I have self-studied for GPAT by taking help of different reference books from which we studied during the B.Pharm”. He further said: “I am focusing more on pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical management as they had more weightage in previous years’ questions.”

Focus on major subjects

Attempting GPAT for the first time, Lakshya from Gurguram has a clear exam strategy. He said he planned to focus more on the major pharmacy subjects and that he will attempt the questions which are known to him without “wasting time” on the questions for which he didn’t have answers.

NIPERs most popular

Most candidates appearing for GPAT 2021 hoped to secure admission in one of the NIPERs.

Pankaj from Pataudi, attempting the GPAT for the second time said, “ If I secure a good rank I will take admission in NIPER BHU”. This NIPER is at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

About GPAT 2021

Admission to 39,670 Master in Pharmacy (MPharm) seats in 800 participating institutes will be granted on the basis of GPAT scores.

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