Free Practice Questions for Pharmacy Council Technician Exam

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Sample Pharmacy Council Technician Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Pharmacy Council Technician Exam exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 20+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the principal function of a wetting agent in a suspension containing hydrophobic drug particles?

A.Increase the viscosity of the vehicle as its primary function

B.Provide the main sweetening effect

C.Convert the preparation into a true molecular solution

D.Help the liquid vehicle spread over and displace air from particle surfaces

Explanation: A wetting agent improves contact between the liquid and the solid particles. It helps disperse powders that otherwise float or resist wetting.

2Which class of ointment base includes white soft paraffin (petrolatum)?

A.Oleaginous hydrocarbon bases

B.Water-soluble polyethylene glycol bases

C.Oil-in-water emulsion bases

D.Water-in-oil emulsion bases

Explanation: White soft paraffin is a hydrocarbon base. It is greasy and water-repellent rather than a water-soluble or emulsion base.

3Which observation is characteristic of a suitably flocculated suspension?

A.The active drug becomes completely dissolved

B.Loose particle aggregates settle but redisperse readily

C.An increasingly compact cake cannot be redispersed

D.The preparation becomes a single molecular phase

Explanation: Flocculation produces loose aggregates that may settle relatively quickly. Their open structure can make the sediment easier to redisperse than a compact cake.

4An emulsion develops a concentrated droplet layer that redistributes on gentle shaking without a persistent separate oil phase. Which process best describes this?

A.Irreversible coalescence

B.Chemical decomposition

C.Creaming

D.Phase inversion

Explanation: Creaming concentrates dispersed droplets under gravity without necessarily destroying their interfacial films. It can be reversible on shaking; irreversible coalescence is a different defect.

5Six suppository mould cavities each hold 1 g of base. Each unit contains 200 mg of drug whose displacement value is 4 g drug per 1 g base. Ignoring excess, how much base is needed?

A.4.8 g

B.6.0 g

C.3.6 g

D.5.7 g

Explanation: The total drug is 6 × 0.2 = 1.2 g and displaces 1.2 ÷ 4 = 0.3 g of base. Subtracting this from the blank mould capacity gives 6.0 − 0.3 = 5.7 g.

6A verified prednisolone prescription specifies 40, 30, 20, 10 and 5 mg daily, each step lasting three days. How many 5 mg tablets supply the complete course?

A.63

B.42

C.55

D.75

Explanation: The total is 3 × (40 + 30 + 20 + 10 + 5) = 315 mg. Dividing by 5 mg per tablet gives 63 tablets.

7A balance cannot accurately weigh less than 100 mg. Which aliquot procedure provides 2 mg of drug while respecting that limit for both the drug and final aliquot?

A.Mix 100 mg drug with 900 mg diluent and weigh 20 mg mixture

B.Mix 100 mg drug with 4,900 mg diluent and weigh 100 mg mixture

C.Weigh 2 mg drug directly

D.Mix 50 mg drug with 950 mg diluent and weigh 40 mg mixture

Explanation: The mixture contains 100 mg drug in 5,000 mg total, so a 100 mg aliquot contains 2 mg drug. Both the initial drug mass and aliquot meet the specified minimum weighable quantity.

8How should a prescribed sublingual glyceryl trinitrate tablet be administered?

A.Swallow it intact with a meal

B.Chew it and immediately swallow

C.Place it under the tongue and allow it to dissolve

D.Dissolve it in a full glass of water and drink

Explanation: Sublingual tablets are intended to dissolve under the tongue for absorption through the oral mucosa. Swallowing the tablet changes the intended route and reduces its rapid sublingual effect.

9What does PRN (pro re nata) mean on a prescription?

A.Every morning

B.Immediately

C.Twice daily

D.As needed for the specified indication

Explanation: PRN means as needed. Safe patient directions should also specify the indication, dose, minimum interval and maximum use where applicable.

10What should a patient usually do after using a beclometasone inhaler to reduce local corticosteroid adverse effects?

A.Rinse the mouth with water and spit it out

B.Use the inhaler before meals instead of rinsing afterward

C.Rinse the mouth only if wheezing persists

D.Wait for oral soreness before starting mouth rinsing

Explanation: Rinsing and spitting removes deposited corticosteroid from the mouth. This reduces the risk of oral candidiasis and related local effects.

About the Pharmacy Council Technician Exam Exam

The Pharmacy Council's professional examination supports enrolment of eligible pharmaceutical technicians in Mainland Tanzania. Its current contents cover pharmaceutical formulations and calculations, hospital and community practice, and pharmacy law and conduct. This independent collection covers selected topics across the three papers rather than the complete outline.

Exam sponsor: Pharmacy Council. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Three written papers: compounding/calculations/formulation; hospital and community practice; and laws/regulations/ethics/conduct. The guidelines specify MCQ, true/false or matching, and short/long-answer sections. A separate mandatory examination practical, oral or assignment was not verified.

Time Limit

Up to three hours per paper under the 2019 guidelines; confirm the current sitting timetable.

Passing Score

60% in each paper, with all three papers required for a pass.

Exam / Certification Fees

TZS 160,000 for new candidates; TZS 50,000 per resit paper (April 2026 notice).

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Council examination contents, current linked 2025 document · Source checked 2026-10-23
Council examination guidelines, 2019 · Source checked 2026-10-23
Council examination notice, 10 April 2026 · Source checked 2026-10-23
Prescription Handling and Control Regulations, 2020 · Source checked 2026-10-23
Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, 2024 · Source checked 2026-10-23
Council examination notice, 24 September 2026 · Source checked 2026-10-23
TMDA extemporaneous formulations and hospital sterile preparations guidance, 2022 · Source checked 2026-10-23
Tanzania Mainland Standard Treatment Guidelines, sixth edition 2021 · Source checked 2026-10-23
TMDA Guidelines for Dealing in Controlled Drugs, 2021 · Source checked 2026-10-23

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

Separate paper

Paper I: Compounding, Calculations and Formulation

Dosage forms, pharmaceutical calculations, quality assurance/control and manufacturing/GMP.

Separate paper

Paper II: Hospital and Community Practice

Dispensing, counseling, medicine safety and supply management.

Separate paper

Paper III: Laws, Regulations, Ethics and Conduct

Current professional, premises, prescription and medicine-control requirements.

Preparing for the Pharmacy Council Technician Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 60% in each paper, with all three papers required for a pass.
Assessment: Three written papers: compounding/calculations/formulation; hospital and community practice; and laws/regulations/ethics/conduct. The guidelines specify MCQ, true/false or matching, and short/long-answer sections. A separate mandatory examination practical, oral or assignment was not verified.
Time limit: Up to three hours per paper under the 2019 guidelines; confirm the current sitting timetable.
Exam / certification fees: TZS 160,000 for new candidates; TZS 50,000 per resit paper (April 2026 notice). Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 20 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Pharmacy Council Technician Exam: Suggested Study Strategy

1Prepare for all three papers and their written-answer components.

2Show units and intermediate steps in pharmaceutical calculations.

3Use the current contents document and regulatory texts rather than import rules from another jurisdiction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualification is required?

The technician route is for recognized pharmaceutical-sciences diploma graduates who meet the Council's current application requirements. The 2026 notice requires identification, birth and school certificates, the pharmaceutical-sciences award and the full transcript.

Are the old February, June and October dates guaranteed?

No. Although the 2019 guidelines describe that pattern, Council notices scheduled March and July examinations in 2026. Use the current notice and personal PCMIS account.

Is English an officially confirmed assessment language?

The sources checked did not explicitly establish permitted examination response languages. Confirm them with the Council. This bank is in English and does not claim to reproduce the official language environment.