Actually in India both streams are well emerging. Talking about the education required for the chemicals and the pharmaceuticals is:

1. 10th level Diploma in Chemical Engineering (DChE) or in Pharmacy (D.Pharm). After completing your diploma you can work in a chemical or pharmaceutical company as a Production/Process Assistant or Junior Engineer in Production/Process. You can also work in Quality Control Department as a QC Assistant. You can climb the ladder up to Senior engineer level in Production and QC-In-charge in Quality and Control Department with your experience only.

2. After 10+2 Engineering in Chemical Engineering will land you in as a Engineer in Production/Process/Design department in chemical and pharmaceutical industry. You can rich up to the level of higher management level for example General Manager, Senior General Manager.

3. After 10+2 Bachelor of Pharmacy(B.Pharma) will eligible you to serve in pharmaceutical company as a Production/Process/Formulation Executive. You can also work as a Chemist/Druggist in reputed Druggist/pharmacist shop or you can have your own enterprise.

4. After B.E/B.Tech in Chemical Engineering or B.Pharm you can be a Entrepreneur you can start your own own company.

5. After B.E/B.Tech in Chemical Engineering or B.Pharm you can work in the Marketing and Sales department as Technical Sales Engineer/Pharmacist.

6. In Government sector Food and Drug Administration has a entrance test for Food and Drug Inspector. If you are able to crack this entrance you can become as a Food and Drug Inspector.

7. In Government sector Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), GAIL India Limited, Oil India Limited, and private sector petroleum companies like Reliance, Essar and other foreign Investment Ventures has their own Entrance exams for Chemical Engineers.

8. If you crack GATE exam after your engineering you can get selected in Indian Oil Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and other public sector oil and gas companies.

Best Luck !!

Dear friend, thank you very much for your question. Here you have not mentioned your academic qualifications and what you are doing at present. As per your question, the career options for chemicals (chemistry and chemical sciences) and pharmaceuticals are huge. The job opportunities depends upon many factors, which includes,

1. the academic qualifications
2. Number of years of experience in relevant field or subject
3. Additional qualifications (specially in case of academic job opportunities)
4. Specialization in the subject
5. Place of work (whether it is governmental sector or private organization)
   
   Let me tell you things in detail, the academic qualifications is very important. Any person having masters degree in chemical sciences or chemistry or pharmaceutical is technically eligible and qualified for the entry position. But due to severe competition the person holding a doctoral degree has more advantage. On the other hand a person holding a degree of chemical sciences (BTech) should go for post graduate degree to become eligible for better position. The BTech in chemical is eligible for job in private company but not in academic sector.
   
   
   
   The number of years of experience is also very important. Certainly a person having some years of experience knows more than a fresher, therefore has better advantage.
   
   The additional qualifications, specially in case of academic job entry and in some cases in private company also. The person who wish to go for academic sector, should have good number of research papers, review articles, book chapters, books published in his or her name. How many post graduate or doctoral degree students you have guided. How many research projects you have supervised. For a pharmaceutical person, how many new drug discovery has been reported. For chemical person, is there any new chemical pathway discovered by the person.

Specialization in the subject is also very important, are you a analytical, physical, inorganic or organic chemical specialist. Based on your subject specialization the person has more job opportunities. For example the person holding degree or specialization in organic chemistry has better job opportunities.

The place of work, in academics there are colleges, universities, institutes and governmental laboratories. Here the person makes an entry as lecturer, assistant professor, assistant scientist. In private companies also the person do have better entry level as research scientist, technical officer, project manager, research associate.

With all my best wishes

Good Luck...