Sun Pharma, GSK Among Top Recruiters at Chandigarh University
Chandigarh: The rapid growth of Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Sciences and allied healthcare fields has triggered a high demand for professionals equipped with specialized knowledge, practical skills and industry exposure. To meet this growing demand, Chandigarh University has integrated experiential learning model into its Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sciences programmes with 178 students securing placements and 261 students gaining industry internships in leading pharmaceutical companies, reputed healthcare institutions (hospitals) and life sciences organisations over the past three years.
The University Institute of Biotechnology (UIBT) and University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS) jointly attracted more than 97 national and multinational companies, healthcare institutions and life sciences organizations including Sun Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Mankind Pharma, Medtronic India, Macleods Pharmaceuticals, Centrient Pharmaceuticals, Serum Institute of India, Bharat Serum and Vaccine Limited, IDS Infotech and Ind-Swift Limited, among others.
Chandigarh University students have also extended their professional footprint beyond India, building careers in the leading international healthcare and pharmaceutical companies in different parts of the world.
Among all premiere companies, IDS Infotech has emerged as the largest recruiter for biotechnology students of CU with eight placement offers while Ind-Swift Limited provided the highest number of job opportunities in the Pharmacy department recruiting 11 students from Chandigarh University.
The University Institute of Biotechnology emerged as the largest contributor to the combined placement performance with 118 students securing placements and 252 students completing internships over the past three years. As many as 65 companies participated in the department’s recruitment process during this period, with 2024-25 emerging as the strongest placement year, when 54 students secured job offers in leading national and international companies.
The students secured job offers from IDS Infotech, Cryoviva Biotech Pvt. Ltd., Bharat Serum and Vaccine Limited, Fitelo India Pvt. Ltd., Mikky Publication Services Pvt. Ltd., Serum Institute of India, Integrated Resources and Macleod Pharmaceutical Ltd among other leading companies. Among these IDS Infotech offered the highest number of job offers which was eight whereas Cryoviva Biotech, Bharat Serum and Vaccine Limited, Fitelo India and Mikky Publication Services offered six job offers each.
At the programme level, MSc Biotechnology recorded the highest number of selections with 59 students securing placements over the three-year period. This was followed by B.Sc. Biotechnology with 27 placements, M.Sc. Industrial Microbiology with 15, M.Sc. Microbiology with 10 and B.Sc. Microbiology with six placements.
The students of Biotechnology and Microbiology secured placements with leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare organisations with several graduates receiving attractive salary packages. The highest annual package of ₹8 lakh was secured by students of M.Sc. Biotechnology and M.Sc. Industrial Microbiology in 2023–24 while an M.Sc. Microbiology student secured an annual salary package of ₹7.5 lakh from Wellcove (CGCS Services Inc.) in 2025–26.
The students from University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences secured 60 placements and nine industry internships over the past three years.
As many as five students also secured internships with Sun Pharma, one of India’s leading pharmaceutical companies, providing them with valuable industry exposure. The students from the Pharmaceutical Sciences department have secured job placements in top brands such as Ind-Swift Limited, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Mankind Pharma, Medtronic India, Macleods Pharmaceuticals, Centrient Pharmaceuticals, ADI Group, Nectar Lifesciences, Psychocare Health and Evalueserve among other leading organisations.
Ind-Swift Limited emerged as the largest recruiter by selecting the highest number of students which was 11. Endo India Par Formulations and Macleods Pharmaceuticals selected five students each while Proelio Technologies and Psychocare Health selected four students each. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) also recruited three students, while Medtronic India, Mankind Pharma and Centrient Pharmaceuticals provided career opportunities to students from the department.
The department’s placement performance has also been reflected in strong salary packages across programmes. Gehna, a Pharm.D student, secured the highest salary package of ₹9.6 LPA at Karuna Cancer Hospital. Similarly, Ayush Sneh, Atul Chaubey and Armaan, B. Pharmacy students were selected by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as Medical Representatives at annual salary packages of ₹7.5 lakh each.
Mandvi Pandey, an M. Pharmacy student, secured a ₹7 lakh annual package as Junior Analyst at Evalueserve. Several students have also secured Quality Assurance and Quality Control roles at Ind-Swift Limited, while others have obtained opportunities in Quality Control and internship-based roles with Macleods Pharmaceuticals and Centrient Pharmaceuticals. Sneha Kumari is working as a Pharmacopoeial Associate at the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ghaziabad, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Another student of Chandigarh University, Hasan Zubair is serving as Head of the Pharmaceutical Policy Division at the Ministry of Health, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Navpreet Bhullar is working as a Pharmacy Assistant within the healthcare system in Alberta, Canada.
These job placements reflect the diverse career opportunities available to Chandigarh University graduates, with students (graduates) contributing not only to leading private pharmaceutical and healthcare companies but also to national and international public health systems.
The strong placement achievements by students from Chandigarh University are supported by a robust culture of research and innovation. Over the past three years, students have published more than 40 research papers in reputed international journals and publications. Two design patents have been granted, while three patents have been filed. Several students have also qualified CSIR-NET JRF and secured admission to PhD programmes at premier institutions including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, IIT Delhi, IIT Roorkee and IIIM Jammu.
The department’s students have also achieved international academic success. Tanish Bhalla was selected for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree in Leading International Vaccinology Education (2024–26). Yashika Hablani secured an opportunity for higher education at the University of Melbourne, Australia, while Vamshi Kadari is working as a Graduate Research Assistant at California State University, Fresno, USA. Ishana Goyal secured admission to the M.Sc. Biotechnology programme at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
The entrepreneurial achievements of students have further strengthened Chandigarh University’s reputation as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. Vedant Rinwa founded Nutripanda Life Care LLP, while Deepanshi established Nubody&CO. The students have also founded startups including Algazen & Okiss Pvt. Ltd., creating new avenues for innovation and entrepreneurship in the life sciences sector.
