Drug Inspector: A drug inspector is a pharmacy professional who is an expert in monitoring and achieving the efficacy, safety, quality and usability of drugs from the manufacturing phase to completion, i.e. selling stage. With the rapid growth of the Indian pharmaceutical industry, this field is developing rapidly both in education and in the field of work. The position of Inspector Durg is considered the highest ranked profession in the pharmaceutical field. To become a drug inspector, applicants must go through a selection process managed by the UPSC and / or SPSC. Those who pass the selection process can have a good working life with good paying jobs. Drug Inspector is the professional who is an expert and qualified to monitor the safety, utility, efficiency quality of a drug from its manufacturing till its sale at the retail shop.
The career prospects of the drug inspector are Pharmacovigilance, Drug Safety Officer, Drug Safety Doctor, Drug Safety Associate, Medical assessor, etc.
Even girls can become drug inspectors. There is no gender discrimination in this field. Fair selection through qualifying examination is taken place.
Drug inspector salary anywhere from INR 30000 per months to INR 2,50,000 per month.
The remuneration for a drug inspector is subject to fluctuation based on various factors including the employer, work location, years of experience, and educational qualifications. In India, drug inspectors usually earn between INR 30,000 to INR 250,000 per month, based on the state and the employing organization.
To become a drug inspector the student has to follow the selection process. A drug inspector should be attentive to the safety of drugs. A drug inspector should have decision-making skills. A drug inspector has a good salary packages.
The drug inspector will never stop his journey. He must have a special strength to fight with all kinds of drugs, which is called “Drug Resistance”. In a drug company, there must be one or two inspectors who can protect people from the danger of this industry. We need to train our abilities to resist drugs in order to make us stronger for our goal and responsibility.
How to become a drug inspector
The process of becoming a drug inspector is not too complicated to follow. However, the candidates are required to appear for the UPSC or the SPSCs entrance examination which are conducted by the central and the state governments. We have mentioned below the criteria for applying to become adrug inspector.
Combination of subjects: Physics, chemistry / biotechnology, biology / microbiology
Entrance exam:
- The recruitment of drug inspectors is carried out by the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) and various SPSC (State Public Service Commission).
- These authorities organize entrance examinations for the post of Drugs Inspector for vacant posts.
Minimum age required: 21 years old
Maximum age required: 30 years and a relaxation of 5 years for applicants in the reserved category in certain organizations.
Academic qualification:
- Applicants generally need to have a degree in pharmacy, medicine or pharmaceutical sciences.
- Specialized degrees in microbiology or clinical pharmacology are generally preferred.
Basic skills:
- Discipline
- A drug inspector should be disciplined and must do proper work without any influence from others.
- Patience
- Patience is very much needed as drug inspectors have to do a lot of inspections and evaluations.
- Self-confidence
- The self-confidence of a drug inspector can help in bring stupendous results in the overall working of the case.
- Commitment to excel in the field
- A drug inspector must be committed to his work. Without any distractions, he must be able to perform various tasks accurately.
- The ability to perform tests
- The drug inspector must be well equipped in performing different types of tests.
- Flair in the treatment of different salt combinations
- The drug inspector has the responsibility to treat several combinations of salt.
- Updated with the appearance of the pharmaceutical field
- A drug inspector must be aware of the different changes in the pharmaceutical field.
Selection process for drug inspector
To become a drug inspector, a candidate must complete the following steps.
- Step 1: The first step to becoming a drug inspector is to earn a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. Many institutes organize entrance exams for admissions.
- Step 2: The second step would be a Masters degree in Pharmacy. While the position of drug inspector does not necessarily require a post graduate degree, it is always good to have a higher level of expertise in order to excel.
- Step 3 :The next step would be to appear at the entrance exams organized by the UPSC and various SPSCs if vacancies are available.
Types of roles drug inspector
There are different types of roles that a drug inspector must play in his career. The roles are listed below
Pharmacovigilance: A professional in the field collects, monitors, examines, evaluates, and evaluates information from patients or healthcare providers about various drugs, blood products, biologics, vaccines, herbs, complementary drugs, etc.
Drug Safety Officer: Drug Safety Officers specialize in monitoring the side effects of drugs or drugs on patients. The agents then report the effects to review and adjust medication.
Medical assessor: A medical assessor performs audits of medical records that contain healthcare facilities. Medical assessors are also known as medical examiners because they review data to ensure that the drug quality registration records are correct.
Drug Safety Doctor: A Drug Safety Doctor works with the Drug Safety Team to evaluate the performance of a drug and then make future recommendations about it. Understanding how drugs affect the human body and various diseases is important for a drug safety doctor.
Drug Safety Associate: The job of a Drug Safety Associate is the same as that of a Drug Safety Officer. As the Drug Safety Officer, the Drug Safety Associate is also an expert in examining the side effects of drugs on patients.
Sector of employment / industry for the drug inspector
Drug inspectors are appointed by the government to ensure the quality of drugs. You work with large pharmaceutical companies. A drug inspector has several roles. Some of the roles performed by the drug inspectors are given below:
- As required by the Medicines and Cosmetics Act 1940 to support the efficacy, quality and safety of medicines
- Support for CDSCO agents by monitoring documentation.
- Perform field duties helping supervisors to apply activities such as inspections and thefts.
- The drug inspector has to collect samples and examine them.
- Initiate law enforcement
Drug Inspector Salary
- The pay structure for a centrally appointed drug inspector may differ from that appointed by state governments.
- Depending on level 7 of the salary matrix, a drug inspector earns between INR 44,900 per month and INR 1,42,400 per month.
- The starting salary usually starts at INR 40,000 or more.
- The Salary of Drug Inspectors increases annually. The salary is determined based on the location of the job, type of job, etc. Drug Inspectors working in State Government health and welfare sections receive higher salaries.
Books and study materials to become a drug inspector
Here is a list of books for the drug inspector to prepare.
- Forensic Pharmacy by C. Kokate
- Pharmaceutical-I: General and distribution pharmacy by Gupta
- Pharmacy dispensing by Cooper and Gunn
- Pharmacy Tutorial by Cooper and Gunn
- Manual of Forensic Medicine by GP Mohanty
- General knowledge of Lucent by Lucent’s
Benefits of a Drug Inspector
There are several benefits which you will get after pursuing a career as a drug inspector. Apart from high salary, and respect the drug inspector job is permanent and has benefits in the long term.
- High salary
- Benefits of Government Jobs
- Permanent Job
- Respect in the pharmaceutical industry
- Career development
- Pivotal role in the safety and health of people
- Authority and Power
Cons of becoming a drug inspector
As there are pros to being a drug inspector, there are cons too. A drug inspector has a lot of responsibilities. They are responsible for taking all the decisions and actions.
The work of a drug inspector is hectic. They have to work for countless hours dedicatedly. Sometimes, drug inspectors are affected by the bribe system. The life of a drug inspector is also in danger sometimes due to the security operations done by him/ her.
Many of you must be curious about how to go ahead with the process of becoming a drug inspector. Firstly, the candidate must possess a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from a recognized institute. Secondly, the candidate must also have completed a master’s degree for the position of drug inspector. The candidate must also clear the relevant entrance exams.
Top Colleges to pursue career as Drug Inspector
There are a number of colleges in India which offer admission to the courses which will help you establish your career as a drug inspector. AIIMS is considered the top college which offers admission to the courses. We have mentioned below some other colleges which you can choose to pursue your degree from.
AIIMS, Delhi: All of the Indian Institute of Medical Sciences abbreviated as AIIMS Delhi is one of the best options for medical aspirants in India. According to the latest NIRF ranking, AIIMS Delhi is the leading medical institute in the country and has managed to maintain this position since 2018. The institute in the Indian capital was founded in 1956 and has since managed to distinguish itself in the field of medical education through the best combination of theoretical and practical knowledge.
B.J Medical College, Ahmedabad: The B.J. Medical College is located in Ahmedabad in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was founded in 1871 and is accredited by the MCI Hostel establishment. He is not available for his students. Additional campus facilities such as auditorium, boys’ hostel, computer room, gym, hospital, library, medical facilities, keys. Space, sports, residential faculty area are also available.
CMC, Vellore: CMC Vellore is located in Vellore in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1918, the company is accredited by UGC Other and with the Tamil Nadu Medical University Dr. M.G.R. CMC VELLORE, Vellore offers 64 courses in 6 degree programs namely Medicine, Paramedic, Pharmacy, Nursing, Science, Dentistry and up to 12 degrees such as MBBS, BSc, BPT, B.O.T., MD.
Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow: The Central Institute for Drug Research is located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1951, the company is accredited by another 60 hectare CDRI campus. The hostel is not available to its students. Additional campus facilities such as boys hostel, canteen, computer room, library, medical facilities, class. Rooms and grounds are also there.
Drug Inspector FAQs
Que. What are the job profiles after completing the Drug Inspector courses?
Ans. The job profiles available are Drug Safety Officer, Drug Safety Physician, Drug Safety Associate, Medical Reviewer, Drug Safety Doctor, etc.
Que. How much do drug inspectors earn?
Ans. Drug inspectors earn a salary of INR 30000 per month to INR 2,50,000 per month.
Que. What are the different types of roles of drug inspectors?
Ans. The different types of roles of drug inspectors are Pharmacovigilance, Drug Safety Officer, Medical assessor, Drug Safety Doctor, and Drug Safety Associate.
Que. What is the minimum age criteria for a candidate to become a drug inspector?
Ans. The minimum age criteria for a candidate to become a drug inspector is 21 years.
Que. What are the top colleges providing courses to become a Drug Inspector?
Ans. The top colleges providing courses to become a Drug Inspector are AIIMS, Delhi, B.J Medical College, Ahmedabad, CMC, Vellore, and Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow.
