Overview
- A November 7 directive from the CDSCO, signed by DCGI Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, tells states and UTs to begin inspections immediately and treat the exercise as a top priority.
- States must file monthly reports detailing inspections, observations, and actions taken, with strict action warned for any unit found non‑compliant with the revised Schedule M.
- The upgraded GMP rules will apply to all manufacturers from January 1, 2026, while units that did not seek an extension are to be inspected and enforced against now.
- Large companies met a June 2024 deadline; smaller firms previously had time until December 2025, prompting SME groups to warn of closures, job losses, higher prices, and potential shortages.
- The push follows reports of about 24 child deaths in central India linked to contaminated syrup and earlier fatalities abroad, as some experts back enforcement and others flag procedural questions over CDSCO’s authority to direct states.