Big ALERT! Odisha Pharmacist Recruitment 2026
If you are preparing for the OSSSC Pharmacist Recruitment 2026, here is a complete guide based on the latest available recruitment information and the previous official OSSSC Pharmacist notification.
1. Recruitment Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Body | Odisha Sub-Ordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC) |
| Post Name | Pharmacist |
| Job Type | Odisha Government Job |
| Department | Health & Family Welfare Department |
| Selection Process | Written Examination + Document Verification |
| Salary | Pay Matrix Level-7 (as per Odisha Government rules) |
- No fresh OSSSC Pharmacist recruitment notification has been released for 2026 yet.
- The latest major recruitment was the 2023–24 Pharmacist notification, which announced 1002 vacancies.
- Aspirants preparing for the next cycle should continue studying the same syllabus because the recruitment pattern is expected to remain largely unchanged unless a new notification specifies otherwise.
Previous Recruitment
| Recruitment Year | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 1002 Posts |
The exact number of vacancies for the next recruitment will be announced in the official notification.
Educational Qualification
Candidates must possess:
- Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharm)
OR - Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm)
Additionally:
- Registration as a Pharmacist under the Odisha Pharmacy Council (or eligibility to obtain registration as specified in the notification).
- Ability to read, write, and speak Odia (must satisfy the Odia language requirement prescribed by the Government of Odisha).
Age Limit
| Category | Age Limit |
|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 21 Years |
| Maximum Age | 38 Years* |
Age Relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC | 5 Years |
| ST | 5 Years |
| SEBC | 5 Years |
| Women | 5 Years |
| PwD | 10 Years |
| Ex-Servicemen | As per Odisha Government Rules |
*Age criteria are based on the last Pharmacist recruitment; always verify the new notification for the applicable cut-off date and limits.
Category-wise Reservation
The 1002-post recruitment followed Odisha Government reservation rules. The official notification contained a detailed category-wise vacancy breakup, including:
- UR (Unreserved)
- SEBC
- SC
- ST
- Women Reservation
- PwD
- Ex-Servicemen
- Sports Persons
The exact number of seats in each category varies with each recruitment cycle and district allocation. Candidates should refer to the official vacancy table in the notification when it is released.
7. Selection Process
The recruitment process consists of:
- Written Examination
- Merit List
- Document Verification
- Final Selection
There is no interview for the Pharmacist post. Exam Pattern
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | OMR / CBRT |
| Type | Objective (MCQ) |
| Total Questions | 100 |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Duration | 2 Hours |
| Negative Marking | As prescribed in the notification (check the current notification for applicable rules) |
The written test is conducted in either OMR or Computer Based Recruitment Test (CBRT) mode.
OSSSC Pharmacist Syllabus
The syllabus primarily covers Diploma/B.Pharm-level pharmacy subjects.
A. Human Anatomy & Physiology
- Human body systems
- Blood
- Nervous system
- Digestive system
- Endocrine system
B. Pharmaceutics
- Dosage forms
- Prescription
- Dispensing pharmacy
- Pharmaceutical calculations
- Hospital pharmacy
C. Pharmacology
- General pharmacology
- ANS drugs
- CNS drugs
- CVS drugs
- Antibiotics
- Chemotherapy
- Endocrine drugs
D. Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Organic chemistry
- Inorganic chemistry
- Medicinal chemistry
- Pharmaceutical analysis
E. Pharmacognosy
- Crude drugs
- Alkaloids
- Glycosides
- Volatile oils
- Resins
- Tannins
F. Hospital & Clinical Pharmacy
- Drug storage
- Prescription handling
- Drug distribution
- ADR
- Patient counselling
G. Biochemistry
- Carbohydrates
- Proteins
- Enzymes
- Vitamins
- Metabolism
H. Microbiology
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Sterilization
- Disinfection
- Immunology
I. Health Education & Community Pharmacy
- National Health Programmes
- Public health
- Family planning
- Vaccination
J. General Topics
- Basic Computer Knowledge
- General Awareness
- Odisha General Knowledge
- Current Affairs
The pharmacy syllabus closely follows Diploma-level subjects, with emphasis on Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, Hospital Pharmacy, Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry.
Best Books
| Subject | Recommended Book |
|---|---|
| Pharmacology | K.D. Tripathi |
| Pharmaceutics | Lachman (reference), D.Pharm notes |
| Pharmacognosy | Kokate |
| Pharmaceutical Chemistry | Chatwal |
| Anatomy & Physiology | Sembulingam |
| Hospital Pharmacy | D.Pharm ER-2020 Notes |
Preparation Tips
- Complete the entire D.Pharm ER-2020 syllabus first.
- Revise pharmacy subjects multiple times.
- Practice MCQs daily.
- Solve previous OSSSC Pharmacist papers.
- Focus on Odisha GK and current affairs.
- Attempt full-length mock tests regularly.
