Central Government Announces Recruitment Rules for Key Drug Regulatory Posts

New Delhi, November 6, 2024 - The Central government has announced the recruitment rules for key posts related to drug regulation, including Additional Drugs Controller, Joint Drugs Controller, and Assistant Drugs Controller. The new rules will come into effect from November 6, 2024.

According to the notification, the recruitment process will primarily be through promotion and deputation, with age restrictions in place for direct recruits. The rules also state that individuals who have entered into or contracted a marriage while their spouse is still living, or who are already married and file for divorce, will not be eligible for promotions.

The new rules also set out the educational qualifications and experience required for each post. For example, applicants for the position of Assistant Drugs Controller must have a Master's degree in a relevant field and four years of experience. The age limit for direct recruits is up to 40 years, with a five-year relaxation for government servants.

Industry stakeholders have expressed concerns over the new notification. Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator at AiMeD, stated that industry representatives were not consulted during the development of the rules. "The recent announcement about creating medical devices officers does not align with the skills and competencies required to tackle emerging challenges in the field," Nath said.

AiMeD has requested the removal of pharmacy background regulators from posts that require skills specific to engineering science, such as engineering degrees for Drugs Inspectors.

The government response is still awaited but according to current medical devices regulatory framework, we recommend establishing separate agencies with expert staff to handle emerging issues in fields like AI or biotechnology.