Centre revises DCGI recruitment rules, raises age limit to widen pool

The Centre has raised the age limit and broadened eligibility norms for appointing the Drug Controller General of India to address a shortage of qualified candidates

The Centre has raised the upper age limit for applicants to 58 years from 56 and broadened eligibility norms for the post of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), in a move aimed at widening the candidate pool for the country’s top drug regulator.

 

The changes come after the position has effectively remained without a permanent appointee for over a year, with incumbent Rajeev Raghuvanshi receiving two consecutive contract extensions amid a shortage of eligible candidates.

 

The DCGI heads the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), India’s apex regulator for drugs and medical devices, making the revamp of recruitment rules a critical step in ensuring leadership continuity at a time of expanding regulatory complexity.

   

A key revision relates to educational qualifications. While the 2011 rules allowed candidates with a graduate degree in pharmacy or medicine to apply, the amended rules now mandate a master’s degree in specified disciplines, tightening academic criteria even as other norms are relaxed.

 

At the same time, the scope of relevant experience has been expanded. The earlier requirement of 15 years—limited to drug manufacturing, testing, or enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act—has been broadened to include work in regulation, clinical trials, clinical investigations, and medical devices, reflecting the evolving remit of the regulator.

 

The post will continue to be filled through deputation, with the tenure capped at five years.

 

The recruitment framework had come under scrutiny after Raghuvanshi was granted a second extension on March 1 despite the Union Health Ministry initiating a search process. The issue also reached the Madras High Court, where the extension was upheld, but the government acknowledged that the 2011 rules were too restrictive to generate an adequate pool of candidates.