CDSCO Plans 1,500-Member Scientific Cadre to Accelerate Drug Approvals and Meet Global Standards
Key Insights
India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (search) (CDSCO (search)) is creating a 1,500-member scientific cadre to address resource constraints and speed up drug approval timelines.
Approximately 40% of the workforce will be hired on contract basis, with potential to engage global industry experts and specialists across fields like microbiology, biotechnology, and biostatistics.
The regulator is also planning to outsource GMP and GCP audits to Quality Council of India (search)-certified agencies to bridge capacity gaps in the regulatory ecosystem.
India's pharmaceutical regulatory landscape is set for a major transformation as the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (search) (CDSCO (search)) announces plans to establish a 1,500-member scientific cadre aimed at accelerating drug approval processes and meeting global regulatory standards.
Addressing Critical Resource Gaps
Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, India's drug regulator, revealed that CDSCO (search) will seek government approval next month to add around 1,500 experts to its internal review system, primarily focused on clinical trials. Speaking at the IPA's 11th Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit, he emphasized that "one of the major gaps identified at CDSCO is the absence of an internal scientific cadre."
The regulatory body has been largely dependent on external professionals for various trial protocols, creating bottlenecks in the approval process. "The main thing, which we are always criticised for, is about the timelines (for approvals). And my timeline issue is purely because of the resources," Raghuvanshi stated.
Strategic Workforce Composition
The new scientific cadre will feature a flexible employment model, with approximately 40% of the workforce engaged on a contractual basis. This approach will enable CDSCO (search) to tap into global expertise, potentially bringing in international industry experts as advisers and specialists on deputation.
The cadre will encompass experts across critical domains including microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, biostatistics, and project management. This comprehensive approach addresses the evolving treatment paradigm shifting toward new modalities such as cell and gene therapy and highly targeted anti-cancer (search) or autoimmune disease (search) drugs.
Outsourcing Audit Functions
In parallel with workforce expansion, CDSCO (search) is preparing to outsource Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) audits to agencies certified by the Quality Council of India (search) (QCI). "Until now, all audits were conducted by inspectors from the central and state licensing authorities. However, considering our limited capacity and workforce, we plan to include notified bodies in our audit system for assistance," Raghuvanshi explained.
Dr. Annam Visala, Joint Drugs Controller (India), confirmed that authorities are considering proposals to outsource GMP, GCP, and GxP audits of facilities to accredited agencies to bridge resource constraints while strengthening regulatory oversight.
Global Standards Ambition
The initiative reflects CDSCO (search)'s ambitious goal to match or exceed international regulatory standards. Raghuvanshi expressed confidence that with adequate resources, "the timeline would actually become better. It can be better than the US FDA (search)." The regulator emphasized flexibility in engaging expertise from both government systems and international platforms.
Technology Integration and Portal Upgrades
CDSCO (search) is also embracing technological advancement through AI-driven solutions. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (search) will identify developers to create AI algorithms assisting in application reviews, with implementation planned on a pilot basis before full-scale deployment.
Additionally, the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance has approved upgrading the SUGAM portal, which will consolidate all regulatory processes including applications, export NOCs, trial filings, and related workflows under one platform.
Industry Impact
The Indian pharmaceutical industry has long criticized unpredictable approval timelines, with some approvals taking well over a year, creating costly delays for companies. Over the years, new drug trials in India have faced persistent delays due to limited expertise in understanding emerging modalities, designing appropriate trial protocols, and constrained workforce spread across multiple projects.
The comprehensive reform initiative, supported by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcement of a dedicated scientific review cadre in the Union Budget for FY 2026-27, represents a significant step toward modernizing India's regulatory framework and positioning it competitively on the global stage.