GPAT 2026 Pharmacognosy covers 15 to 18 questions out of 125 total, each worth 4 marks with minus 1 for wrong answers. Download the last 10 years GPAT Pharmacognosy previous year question papers with solutions below, and use the chapter wise weightage table to see exactly where your marks come from.
Official website: gpat.nta.ac.in
- Exam mode: Computer-based test | Conducted by NTA
- Total questions: 125 MCQs | Total marks: 500
- Marking scheme: plus 4 for correct, minus 1 for wrong
- Pharmacognosy share: 15-18 questions, contributing up to 72 marks
- Duration: 3 hours for the full paper
- Qualifying cutoff: 50 percent General; 40 percent SC/ST/PwD
- GPAT 2025: over 1 lakh students registered nationwide
GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Papers 2026 - Download PDF
Start with 2024 and 2023 papers - they best reflect the current NTA question style for Pharmacognosy.
| Sample Paper | PDF Download |
|---|---|
| GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Paper 4 | Download PDF |
| GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Paper 5 | Download PDF |
PDFs will be updated as new papers are added. Bookmark this page.
| Year | Sessions | Solutions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Single session | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2024 | Single session | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2023 | Single session | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2022 | Single session | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2021 | Single session | Available | Collegedunia |
| 2020 | Single session | Available | Official Site |
| 2019 | Single session | Available | Official Site |
| 2018 | Single session | Available | Official Site |
GPAT Pharmacognosy Exam Pattern and Marks Distribution 2026
GPAT is a 125-question CBT with no sectional time limits. Pharmacognosy questions are mixed throughout the paper - identify them by topic as you go.
- Mode: CBT, single paper, no sections, no optional questions
- Total marks: 500 | Marking: plus 4 correct, minus 1 wrong
- Pharmacognosy: 15-18 questions - highest-return section after Pharmaceutical Chemistry
- Target pace: under 90 seconds per Pharmacognosy question
GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Papers with Applied Phytochemistry - Why 2023 and 2024 Papers Matter Most
NTA shifted GPAT Pharmacognosy from source-plant recall toward applied phytochemistry from 2022 onward. Questions now test biosynthetic pathways and structural identification. Start with 2023 and 2024 papers before going to older ones.
- 2020 and older: mostly source-plant identification and pharmacognostic characters
- 2021 onward: alkaloid biosynthesis questions became regular - shikimic acid and MVA pathway appear in nearly every paper
- 2023 onward: marine pharmacognosy and herbal drug standardization increased to 2-3 questions per paper; structure-based alkaloid identification appeared in 2025
GPAT Pharmacognosy Chapter Wise Weightage - High Scoring Topics to Focus in Sample Papers
Alkaloids and Glycosides together account for nearly half the Pharmacognosy marks in a GPAT paper. Study by this table, not by chapter length in your textbook.
| Chapter | Questions per Paper | Difficulty | What to Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkaloids | 3-4 | Moderate-Hard | Pathway classification, source plants for morphine and quinine |
| Glycosides | 2-3 | Moderate | Cardiac aglycone vs sugar, anthraquinone classification |
| Volatile Oils and Resins | 2-3 | Easy-Moderate | Monoterpene vs sesquiterpene examples, adulteration tests |
| Herbal Drug Technology | 2-3 | Moderate | WHO standardization parameters, hot vs cold extraction |
| Phytochemistry and Biosynthesis | 2-3 | Hard | Shikimic acid pathway, MVA pathway, acetate hypothesis |
| Tannins and Phenolics | 1-2 | Easy-Moderate | Hydrolysable vs condensed, gelatin test |
| Carbohydrates - Gums and Mucilages | 1-2 | Easy | Agar vs tragacanth vs acacia swelling index |
| Lipids and Fixed Oils | 1-2 | Easy | Iodine value ranges, saponification value |
| Marine Pharmacognosy | 1-2 | Moderate | Algae-derived drugs, tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin origin |
Do not skip the easy-mark chapters. Carbohydrates, Lipids, and Tannins carry 3-5 questions and take under 60 seconds each if you know the key numbers.
GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Paper Video Solutions 2026 - Watch Before You Start Solving
Watching an expert walk through a Pharmacognosy paper shows the reading pattern that works for NTA questions. This one-video crash course covers all major chapters with previous year examples - use it as a gap-finder before timed practice.
Watch: Pharmacognosy One Shot Revision | GPAT 2025 | Complete Crash Course in 1 Video
How to Use GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Papers to Clear in First Attempt
Solving papers alone does not move your score. The error log alongside is what works.
- Step 1: Solve one sample paper untimed. Mark every question you could not answer within 90 seconds.
- Step 2: Sort wrong answers - did not know the fact, misread the question, or chose wrong under time pressure.
- Fact gaps: Return to that chapter's key table only. Do not re-read the whole chapter.
- Misread traps: Write the exact NTA phrase in your error log. NTA reuses these phrasings in new papers.
- Target: Above 12 correct out of 18 Pharmacognosy questions before the actual exam.
GPAT Pharmacognosy Biosynthesis and Structure Questions - What Separates 90 and 99 Percentile Scores
Biosynthesis questions are the 2-3 questions most students skip on sight. They repeat every year with minor wording variation. Getting these right consistently moves you into the top 10 percent.
- Shikimic acid pathway: Morphine, colchicine, and ephedrine are the standard answers. Know which step produces the nitrogen-containing intermediate.
- MVA pathway: Terpenes, steroids, and cardiac glycoside aglycones. Learn the 5-carbon isoprene rule and HMG-CoA reductase step.
- Structure identification: For alkaloid questions with partial structures, check the nitrogen position and ring system first - these identify the class.
- Draw each pathway from memory at least once. Reading and drawing are different levels of retention.
GPAT Pharmacognosy 30 Day Preparation Plan Using Sample Papers
- Week 1 - Solve the 2024 paper untimed, Pharmacognosy section only. List every chapter where you got a question wrong or could not start within 90 seconds.
- Week 2 - Study only the two weakest chapters from Week 1. Then solve the 2023 paper timed at 90 seconds per question.
- Week 3 - Solve the 2022 and 2021 papers back to back. For each biosynthesis question, note the pathway it tests.
- Week 4 - Solve one full sample paper daily with a 25-minute limit for Pharmacognosy questions. Stop new papers 2 days before the exam and review your error log only.
FAQs on GPAT Pharmacognosy Sample Papers 2026
Ques. How many GPAT Pharmacognosy sample papers are enough to score above 90 percent in the section?
Ans. 8 to 10 practice sets with a maintained error log is the practical number. Students who solve more papers without reviewing mistakes usually plateau around 70 percent accuracy.
Ques. Are GPAT Pharmacognosy questions repeated from previous year papers?
Ans. Exact repeats are rare, but formats repeat. The same biosynthesis pathway question and cardiac glycoside structure question appear in different words every 2 to 3 years.
Ques. Which GPAT year paper should I start with for Pharmacognosy?
Ans. Start with 2024, then 2023. These reflect the current NTA question style. Older papers are useful for volume practice but are more recall-heavy.
Ques. Where to download GPAT Pharmacognosy previous year papers with answer key PDF for free?
Ans. Download from Collegedunia's GPAT question paper page. NTA also releases official answer keys on gpat.nta.ac.in after each exam.
Ques. Can I clear the GPAT Pharmacognosy section in 30 days using only sample papers?
Ans. Yes, if your conceptual base is ready. Use the first 2 weeks to plug chapter gaps your error log reveals, then shift to timed practice in weeks 3 and 4.
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