Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi takes charge as new Drugs Controller General of India

Raghuvanshi will be replacing PBN Prasad, who was given an interim charge of DCGI. The Union Health Ministry had appointed P B N Prasad as interim DCGI on February 16 till February 28.

Prasad had replaced V G Somani, whose three-year tenure had expired in August 2022. He was, however, not given more extension beyond the two he received in August and November in the year 2022.

Also Read: Dr PBN Prasad To Hold Charge As DCGI On Temporary Basis

Lately, the Union Government, in an official statement said, “The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal for appointment of Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission to the post of Drugs Controller (India), Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in level 14 of the Pay Matrix, on short term contract basis, with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post till his attainting the age of superannuation on 28.2.2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier."

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) held interviews for the appointment of the DCGI in January. On 6 February that the UPSC panel had recommended the name of Raghuvanshi for the country’s top drug regulators’ post. The top contenders for the post were Somani himself, Raghuvanshi and Jai Prakash. On January 30, the UPSC communicated its decision to the Health Ministry and recommended Raghuvanshi for the post of the country's apex drug regulator.

The role of DCGI holds significance as the occupant of the post is the head of CDSCO, which is the agency in charge of ensuring the quality of medicines, new drugs and vaccines, and monitoring related-clinical trials.

Raghuvanshi, who has worked in various roles at some of India's leading pharmaceutical companies is a Masters from IIT-BHU, and PhD from the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi.

As per a recent media report in the Business Standard, he has worked as the secretary-cum-scientific director of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, an autonomous institution under the health ministry that sets standards for all drugs manufactured, sold and consumed in India.

His LinkedIn profile confirms that he also worked for Ranbaxy Research Laboratories till 2010 and had a stint with Dr Reddy's Laboratories between 2010 and 2021. At DRL, Raghuvanshi led an R&D team that developed innovative formulations for Indian and global markets. He was involved in development of oral, modified release NDDS drugs, nasal formulations, depot injections, nanotechnology and other challenging projects.