Present paper deals with the review analysis of various physico chemical parameters like temperature, pH, turbidity, TDS, DO, total hardness, chlorides, alkalinity, phosphates, sulphates, BOD,COD, heavy metals etc. in the effluents of pharmaceutical industries in India. During the review analysis of various pharmaceutical effluents, it has been studied that the values of DS and SS were higher than permissible limits in the pharmaceutical effluents of various industries. Different metals were found within the permissible limit in ground water sample except for the heavy metals like Cr, Pb, Cd and Ni which were found to be above the permissible limit recommended by WHO standards. The value of BOD and COD was many fold higher as compared to the permissible limits. Increased level of water pollution due to discharge of pharmaceutical effluents highlights the need for continuous assessment/characterization of pharmaceutical industrial wastewater. There is a great need that each industry should treat their effluents, in accordance with the legal requirements, before discharging these into the streams otherwise 'Polluter pays' principle should be implemented.