Date: 2026-02-03Category: Extra OrdinaryState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Draft amendment in NDCT Rules, 2019 for post approval changes to the licensed products to ensure their quality, safety and efficacy throughout the product lifecycle
**Executive Summary**
This document is a notification of draft rules to further amend the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019. It includes proposed amendments regarding the reporting and approval of changes to manufacturing processes, excipients, packaging, shelf life, specifications, testing, or documentation for drugs and clinical trials. The draft rules are open for public comment for 30 days following their publication, with comments due to the Under Secretary (Drugs), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, before consideration by the Central Government. The proposed rules are called “The New Drugs and Clinical Trials (Amendment) Rules, 2026.”
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Short Title and Commencement:**
* The rules may be called the New Drugs and Clinical Trials (Amendment) Rules, 2026.
* The rules will come into force from a date specified by the Government upon final publication in the Official Gazette.
* **Amendments to Rule 77 (Drugs):**
* A new clause (x) is added to Rule 77 requiring manufacturers or their authorized agents to inform the licensing authority in writing of any changes in the manufacturing process, excipients, packaging, shelf life, specifications, testing, or documentation.
* **Prior Approval Requirements Based on Change Level:**
* **Level I (Major Quality Change):** Prior approval required from the licensing authority.
* **Level II (Moderate Quality Change):** Prior approval required from the licensing authority.
* **Level III (Minor Quality Change):** Changes can be implemented without prior approval (except for changes in shelf life of drug substance and drug product).
* **Amendments to Rule 82 (Clinical Trials):**
* A new clause (ix) is added to Rule 82 requiring manufacturers to inform the licensing authority in writing of any changes in the manufacturing process, excipients, packaging, shelf life, specifications, testing, or documentation.
* **Prior Approval Requirements Based on Change Level:**
* **Level I (Major Quality Change):** Prior approval required from the licensing authority.
* **Level II (Moderate Quality Change):** Prior approval required from the licensing authority.
* **Level III (Minor Quality Change):** Changes can be implemented without prior approval (except for changes in shelf life of drug substance and drug product).
* **Annual Submission:**
* For minor quality changes (Level III), an annual submission to the licensing authority is required by the first quarter of every calendar year.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Drug Manufacturers and Authorized Agents**
* **Impact:** Manufacturers are required to notify the licensing authority of any changes in the manufacturing process, excipients, packaging, shelf life, specifications, testing, or documentation.
* **Action Required:** Implement processes for assessing the impact level of changes (Level I, II, or III), obtain prior approval for Level I and Level II changes, and report all changes including Level III changes annually by the first quarter of the calendar year.
**Stakeholder: Licensing Authorities**
* **Impact:** Licensing authorities are responsible for reviewing and approving changes to manufacturing processes, excipients, packaging, shelf life, specifications, testing, or documentation.
* **Action Required:** Establish processes for evaluating change notifications and issuing approvals, and reviewing annual submissions for Level III changes.
**Stakeholder: General Public**
* **Impact:** The general public benefits from improved transparency and regulatory oversight, which ensures quality and safety of pharmaceuticals in the market.
* **Action Required:** Review the proposed rules and regulations and provide feedback to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare by submitting comments to the Under Secretary (Drugs).
Key Entities Referenced
New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019: The principal rules being amended by this notification, governing drugs and clinical trials in India.
Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940: The parent act that provides the legal framework for regulating drugs and cosmetics, under which the rules are being amended.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The ministry responsible for drafting and implementing the amendments to the rules.
Licensing Authority: The authority responsible for approving changes related to the manufacturing of drugs as stated in the proposed amendments.
New Delhi: Location of the issuing ministry and the location to send objections and suggestions.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-04022026-269818
CG-DxLx-xEG-I0D4H0x2x2x0 26-269818
xxxGIDExxx
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (i)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 92] नई दिल्ली, मगं लवार, फरवरी 3, 2026/माघ 14, 1947
No. 92] NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2026/MAGHA 14, 1947
स्ट्वास्ट््य और पररवार कल्याण मत्रं ालय
(स्ट्वास्ट््य और पररवार कल्याण जवभाग)
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 2 फरवरी, 2026
सा.का.जन. 97(अ).— नए औषजध और नैिाजनक परीक्षण जनयम, 2019 म ेंआगे संिोधन करन ेके जलए कुछ जनयमों
का जनम्नजलजखत प्रारूप, जिसे केंद्र सरकार औषजध और प्रसाधन सामग्री अजधजनयम, 1940 (1940 का 23) की धारा 12 की
उप-धारा (1) और धारा 33 की उप-धारा (1) द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करत ेहुए, औषजध तकनीकी सलाहकार बोडड स े
परामि ड के बाि, बनान े का प्रस्ट्ताव करती ह,ै जिससे प्रभाजवत होन े वाल े सभी व्यजियों की िानकारी के जलए एतद्द्वारा
प्रकाजित दकया िाता ह,ै और एतद्द्वारा सूजचत दकया िाता ह ै दक उि प्रारूप जनयमों पर उस तारीख स े तीस दिन की अवजध
समाप्त होने पर या उसके बाि जवचार दकया िाएगा जिस पर इन प्रारूप जनयमों वाल ेभारत के रािपत्र की प्रजतयां िनता को
उपलब्ध कराई िाती ह।ैं
ऊपर जनर्िडष्ट अवजध के भीतर दकसी भी व्यजि स े प्राप्त आपजत्तयों और सुझावों पर केंद्र सरकार द्वारा जवचार दकया
िाएगा।
आपजत्तयां और सुझाव, यदि कोई हों, अवर सजचव (औषजध), स्ट्वास्ट््य और पररवार कल्याण मत्रं ालय, भारत सरकार,
कक्ष संख्या 434, सी ववंग, जनमाडण भवन, नई दिल्ली - 110011 को संबोजधत दकए िा सकते ह ैं या drugsdiv-
mohfw@gov.in पर ईमले दकए िा सकते ह।ैं
722 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
प्रारूप जनयम
1. इन जनयमों को नए औषजध और नैिाजनक परीक्षण (...... संिोधन) जनयम, 2026 कहा िा सकता ह।ै
(ii) ये जनयम सरकार द्वारा आजधकाररक रािपत्र म ेंजनयमों के अंजतम प्रकािन के समय जनर्िडष्ट तारीख स ेलाग ू होंगे।
2. (i) नए औषजध और नैिाजनक परीक्षण जनयम, 2019 म,ें जनयम 77 के खंड (ix) के बाि, जनम्नजलजखत खंड डाला िाएगा,
अर्ाडत:् -
‟(x) जवजनमाडण प्रदिया, या सहायक सामग्री, या पैकेविंग, या िल्े फ लाइफ, या जवजनिेि, या परीक्षण, या िस्ट्तावेजीकरण
आदि म ेंदकसी भी पररवतडन की जस्ट्र्जत म,ें िैसा भी मामला हो, जनमाडता या उसका अजधकृत एिटें ऐसे पररवतडनों के जलए
लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण को जलजखत रूप म ें सूजचत करेगा।
परंत ु यह दक;
(a) दकसी भी प्रमुख गुणवत्ता पररवतडन (स्ट्तर I) के मामले म,ें जनमाडता लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण स े पूवड अनुमोिन प्राप्त
करेगा, िहां पररवतडन का दकसी औषजध उत्पाि की पहचान, िजि, गणु वत्ता, िुद्धता या क्षमता पर प्रजतकूल प्रभाव
डालन े की पयाडप्त संभावना ह।ै
(b) दकसी भी मध्यम गणु वत्ता पररवतडन (स्ट्तर II) के मामल े म,ें जनमाडता लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण स े पूवड अनुमोिन प्राप्त
करेगा, िहां पररवतडन का दकसी औषजध उत्पाि की पहचान, िजि, गणु वत्ता, िुद्धता या क्षमता पर प्रजतकूल प्रभाव
डालन े की मध्यम संभावना ह।ै
(c) मामूली गुणवत्ता पररवतडनों (स्ट्तर III) के मामले म,ें जनमाडता लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण स े पूव ड अनुमोिन के जबना
पररवतडन लागू करेगा (औषजध पिार्ड और औषजध उत्पाि की िेल्फ लाइफ म ेंपररवतनड के मामलों को छोड़कर), िहा ं
पररवतडन का दकसी औषजध उत्पाि की पहचान, िजि, गुणवत्ता, िुद्धता या क्षमता पर प्रजतकूल प्रभाव डालन े की
न्यूनतम संभावना ह।ै वार्षडक सबजमिन प्रत्येक कैलेंडर वषड की पहली जतमाही तक लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण को प्रस्ट्तुत
की िाएंगी।”
3. घ) नए औषजध और निै ाजनक परीक्षण जनयम, 2019 म,ें जनयम 82 के खंड (viii) के बाि, जनम्नजलजखत खंड डाला िाएगा,
अर्ाडत:् -
‟(ix) जवजनमाडण प्रदिया, या सहायक सामग्री, या पैकेविंग, या िल्े फ लाइफ, या जवजनिेि, या परीक्षण, या
िस्ट्तावेजीकरण आदि म ें दकसी भी पररवतडन की जस्ट्र्जत म,ें िसै ा भी मामला हो, जनमाडता लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण को
जलजखत रूप म ेंसूजचत करेगा।
परंत ु यह दक;
(a) दकसी भी प्रमुख गुणवत्ता पररवतडन (स्ट्तर I) के मामले म,ें जनमाडता लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण स े पूवड अनुमोिन प्राप्त
करेगा, िहां पररवतडन का दकसी औषजध उत्पाि की पहचान, िजि, गणु वत्ता, िुद्धता या क्षमता पर प्रजतकूल प्रभाव
डालन े की पयाडप्त संभावना ह।ै
(b) दकसी भी मध्यम गणु वत्ता पररवतडन (स्ट्तर II) के मामल े म,ें जनमाडता लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण स े पूवड अनुमोिन प्राप्त
करेगा, िहां पररवतडन का दकसी औषजध उत्पाि की पहचान, िजि, गणु वत्ता, िुद्धता या क्षमता पर प्रजतकूल प्रभाव
डालन े की मध्यम संभावना ह।ै
(c) मामूली गुणवत्ता पररवतडनों (स्ट्तर III) के मामले म,ें जनमाडता लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण स े पूव ड अनुमोिन के जबना
पररवतडन लागू करेगा (औषजध पिार्ड और औषजध उत्पाि की िेल्फ लाइफ म ेंपररवतनड के मामलों को छोड़कर), िहा ं
पररवतडन का दकसी औषजध उत्पाि की पहचान, िजि, गुणवत्ता, िुद्धता या क्षमता पर प्रजतकूल प्रभाव डालन े की
न्यूनतम संभावना ह।ै वार्षडक सबजमिन प्रत्येक कैलेंडर वषड की पहली जतमाही तक लाइसेंवसंग प्राजधकरण को प्रस्ट्तुत
की िाएंगी।”
[फा.स.ं एक्स.11014/02/2026-डीआर]
हष ड मंगला, संयुि सजचव
रटप्पणी: मूल जनयम रािपत्र म ें अजधसचू ना संख्या फा.सं.X.11014/10/2017-डीआरएस -भाग (1), दिनांक 19 माच ड
2019 के तहत प्रकाजित दकए गए र् े और अंजतम बार अजधसचू ना संख्या सा.का.जन.…..(ई), दिनांक.…… के
तहत संिोजधत दकए गए र्े।[भाग II—खण् ड 3(i)] भारत का रािपत्र : असाधारण 3
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(Department of Health and Family Welfare)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 2nd February, 2026
G.S.R. 97(E).— The following draft of certain rules further to amend the New Drugs and Clinical
Trials Rules, 2019, which the Central Government proposes to make, in exercise of the powers conferred by
sub-section (1) of section 12 and sub-section (1) of section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of
1940), after consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board is hereby published for information of all
persons likely to be affected thereby, and notice is hereby given that the said draft rules shall be taken into
consideration on or after the expiry of a period of thirty days from the date on which the copies of the Gazette
of India containing these draft rules are made available to the public.
Objections and suggestions which may be received from any person within the period specified above
will be considered by the Central Government.
Objections and suggestions, if any, may be addressed to the Under Secretary (Drugs), Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, U-6, Work Hall- C Wing, first floor, Kartavya Bhawan-1,
New Delhi, 110001 or emailed at drugsdiv-mohfw@gov.in.
DRAFT RULES
1. (i) These rules may be called the New Drugs and Clinical Trials (.. Amendment) Rules, 2026.
(ii) These rules shall come into force from the date as specified by the Government at the time of
final publication of the rules in the Official Gazette.
2. (i) In the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, after clause (ix) of rule 77, following clause
shall be inserted namely: -
‟(x) In the event of any change in manufacturing process, or excipients, or packaging, or shelf life,
or specifications, or testing, or documentation etc. as the case may be, the manufacturer or his
authorized agent shall inform the licensing authority in writing for such changes.
Provided that;
a) In case of any major quality change (Level I), the manufacturer shall obtain prior
approval from the licensing authority, where the change has a substantial potential to
have an adverse impact on the identity, strength, quality, purity, or potency of a drug
product.
b) In case of any moderate quality change (Level II), the manufacturer shall obtain prior
approval from the licensing authority, where the change has a moderate potential to
have an adverse impact on the identity, strength, quality, purity, or potency of a drug
product.
c) In case of minor quality changes (Level III), the manufacturer shall implement the
change without prior approval from the licensing authority (except for cases of change
in shelf life of drug substance and drug product), where the change has a minimal
potential to have an adverse impact on the identity, strength, quality, purity, or potency
of a drug product. The annual submission shall be made to licensing authority by 1st
quarter of every calendar year.”
3. (ii) In the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, after clause (viii) of rule 82, following clause
shall be inserted namely: -
‟(ix) In the event of any change in manufacturing process, or excipients, or packaging, or shelf life,
or specifications, or testing, or documentation etc. as the case may be, the manufacturer shall
inform the licensing authority in writing for such changes.4 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
Provided that;
a) In case of any major quality change (Level I), the manufacturer shall obtain prior
approval from the licensing authority, where the change has a substantial potential to
have an adverse impact on the identity, strength, quality, purity, or potency of a drug
product.
b) In case of any moderate quality change (Level II), the manufacturer shall obtain prior
approval from the licensing authority, where the change has a moderate potential to
have an adverse impact on the identity, strength, quality, purity, or potency of a drug
product.
c) In case of minor quality changes (Level III), the manufacturer shall implement the
change without prior approval from the licensing authority (except for cases of change
in shelf life of drug substance and drug product), where the change has a minimal
potential to have an adverse impact on the identity, strength, quality, purity, or potency
of a drug product. The annual submission shall be made to licensing authority by
1st quarter of every calendar year.”
[F. No. X.11014/02/2026-DR]
HARSH MANGLA, Jt. Secy.
Note: The principal rules were published in the Official Gazette vide notification
No. F.No.X.11014/10/2017- DRS -Part (1), dated 19th March 2019 and last amended vide
notification number G.S.R.…..(E), dated.……
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.