The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) notified 186 permanent Drug Inspector vacancies under the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through Advertisement No. 07/2026 (released 25 June 2026). The online apply window ran from 27 June 2026 to 17 July 2026 (6:00 PM) on the UPSC ORA portal.
Recruitment closed for applications. The last date has passed. This article is kept as an archival reference—eligibility pattern, vacancy and salary context, selection process, documents that were required, common applicant mistakes, and soft guidance on what usually comes next—not as an invitation to submit a new form for this cycle.
Status: Apply window CLOSED (valid through 17 July 2026, 6:00 PM) · Posts archived: 186 · Department: CDSCO · Mode that was used: Online ORA only
Browse live openings on UPSC Jobs and Government Jobs / Latest Jobs.
Apply window closed — use UPSC sites only for RT / interview / future ORA notices
UPSC ORA Portal — Status / Future Notices UPSC Official WebsiteRecruitment Closed Status
| Checkpoint | Detail |
|---|---|
| Advertisement | No. 07/2026 |
| Online apply start | 27 June 2026 |
| Online apply end (closed) | 17 July 2026, 6:00 PM |
| Eligibility reference date | Closing date of application |
| Current use of this page | Reference archive for pharmacy graduates tracking CDSCO Drug Inspector pattern |
| What applicants should do now | Watch official RT / interview / DV communications; keep printed ORA copy and originals ready |
Do not pay agents claiming “late apply”, “re-open window”, or “guaranteed interview call”. UPSC does not authorise such intermediaries.
Official Notification Archive Links
| Document | Official link |
|---|---|
| ORA portal (login / future notices) | upsconline.nic.in/ora/ |
| Notification PDF (Advt 07/2026) | Download Advt No. 07/2026 (English) |
| UPSC website | upsc.gov.in |
Always prefer the PDF and portal wording over secondary summaries if anything differs.
Vacancy & Salary Archive
Category-wise seats (186 posts)
| Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| UR (Unreserved) | 55 |
| EWS | 41 |
| OBC | 39 |
| SC | 35 |
| ST | 16 |
| Total | 186 |
These figures are from the cycle’s published matrix. Do not invent additional seats beyond this archive.
Pay context (Level-8)
| Item | Archive detail |
|---|---|
| Pay matrix | Level-8 (7th CPC) |
| Indicative basic | About ₹47,600 starting basic |
| Job nature | Permanent Central Government post under CDSCO |
| Allowances | DA, HRA/transport and other admissible central allowances as per rules |
In-hand salary varies by city class, deductions and posting. Treat pay figures as context for planning, not as a guaranteed package offer.
Important Dates (Cycle Archive)
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 25 June 2026 |
| Online application started | 27 June 2026 |
| Last date to apply (closed) | 17 July 2026 (6:00 PM) |
| Eligibility determination | 17 July 2026 |
| Recruitment Test / Interview | To be notified by UPSC |
Eligibility Pattern (Reference)
Educational qualification
- Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy or Pharmaceutical Sciences, or Medicine with specialization in Clinical Pharmacology or Microbiology, from a recognised university/institute as listed in Advt 07/2026.
Age limit
- Maximum 30 years as on the closing date.
- Relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD/ex-servicemen as per UPSC / Government of India rules printed in the notice.
Nationality
- Indian citizen, or other eligibility only if expressly allowed in the official notification.
Fee that applied during the window
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS (Male) | ₹25 |
| Female (all categories) | Nil |
| SC / ST / PwBD | Nil |
Fee was payable online on ORA. Post-deadline payments or “re-fee” offers from third parties are not valid for this closed window.
Selection Process (What Happened / Happens Next)
Typical ORA Drug Inspector pathway under this advertisement:
- Online application (window now closed).
- Shortlisting of applications based on declared qualifications.
- Recruitment Test (RT) / Combined Recruitment Test — if UPSC decides a written stage is required for the post.
- Personality Test (Interview) — central stage for many ORA recruitments.
- Document verification with originals at the interview / DV stage.
- Recommendation and appointment formalities through the cadre controlling authority.
Exact RT syllabus, centres and interview schedule appear only when UPSC publishes them. Soft claim: after a July close, RT/interview calendars often follow weeks to months later depending on Commission workload—confirm only from official notices.
Documents That Were Required
Applicants were expected to keep (and shortlisted candidates still need) the following ready:
- Printed / saved copy of the submitted ORA application
- Photo ID (Aadhaar / PAN / Passport / Voter ID / Driving Licence)
- Matriculation certificate for date of birth
- Degree and mark sheets (B.Pharm or other prescribed qualification)
- Caste / category / PwBD certificate in UPSC prescribed proforma (if claimed)
- Experience certificates only if claimed in the form
- Recent photographs matching ORA upload specs
Mismatch between ORA entries and originals is a frequent cause of difficulty at interview. Soft claim: UPSC verifies claims strictly; undeclared experience or wrong category proforma can derail candidature even after a good RT score.
Common Mistakes Applicants Made
Based on patterns seen across UPSC ORA pharmacy and inspector-type drives (soft, educational framing—not a charge against any candidate):
- Waiting until the last evening on 17 July — ORA congestion and payment failures left some forms unfinished.
- Wrong or incomplete degree details — branch name not matching the PDF list (Pharmacy vs allied labels).
- Age calculated on the wrong reference date — limit was tied to the closing date, not a random exam date.
- Uploading non-UPSC caste/PwBD formats — district formats without the Commission’s prescribed columns.
- Assuming withdrawal was possible — the notice stated withdrawal after submission was not allowed.
- Relying on coaching “apply on your behalf” agents — risk of wrong mobile/email and lost OTP control.
- Ignoring Advt 07/2026 multi-post context — Drug Inspector was the large block inside a wider ORA advertisement; candidates sometimes confused vacancy numbers with other posts in the same PDF.
- Not saving the final application PDF — needed later for interview and correspondence.
If you already applied correctly, focus now on official RT/interview tracking rather than re-applying.
How Applications Were Submitted (Archive Steps)
For historical clarity only—do not treat as a live apply walkthrough:
- Visit UPSC ORA.
- Register / log in with Universal Registration Number (URN).
- Select Advertisement No. 07/2026 → Drug Inspector.
- Fill personal, educational and experience fields carefully.
- Upload photograph, signature and category certificates if applicable.
- Pay ₹25 where required and submit.
- Save/print the confirmation.
That sequence is closed for this cycle.
Practical Checklist After the Window Closed
If you already submitted under Advt 07/2026:
- Keep the ORA printout, fee receipt (if paid) and URN login details in one folder.
- Align degree mark sheets and category certificates with what you typed in ORA.
- Watch upsc.gov.in for RT / interview e-summon style notices—soft claim: timelines vary by Commission schedule.
- Do not start parallel “re-apply” attempts for the same closed vacancy number.
- Use only official domains when anyone asks for registration details.
This checklist is why archival pages remain useful after a July close: the form is gone, but verification risk is not.
Expected Next Recruitment (Soft Only)
UPSC does not promise a fixed annual Drug Inspector calendar. Soft guidance for aspirants:
- CDSCO inspector-type vacancies often appear as and when sanctioned posts are notified—sometimes inside combined ORA advertisements.
- Pharmacy graduates who missed this window should watch upsc.gov.in and ORA for new advertisements, and keep degree, category certificates and URN profile updated.
- Treat social-media “next Drug Inspector in month X” posts as unverified until a fresh Advt number is published.
Related Active Links
- UPSC Jobs hub
- Latest Job Notifications
- UPSC Recruitment 2026 — 450 Posts (Advt 07/2026)
- UPSC Recruitment 2026 — 538 Posts (Advt 06/2026)
- Government Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the UPSC Drug Inspector 2026 apply form still live?
No. The form closed on 17 July 2026, 6:00 PM. This page archives the cycle for reference.
How many seats were there?
186 Drug Inspector posts under CDSCO, with the category split shown in the vacancy archive table above.
What degree was needed?
B.Pharm / Pharmaceutical Sciences, or Medicine with Clinical Pharmacology or Microbiology specialization, as per Advt 07/2026.
What is Level-8 pay roughly?
Starting basic around ₹47,600 plus allowances under the 7th CPC Level-8 matrix.
What should successful applicants watch for now?
Official Recruitment Test (if held), interview schedules, and document lists on UPSC domains only.
Can fresh B.Pharm graduates still hope for a future cycle?
Soft yes in principle if they meet age and degree rules when a new advertisement is issued—this closed cycle cannot be reopened by candidates.
Was experience mandatory?
Follow the official PDF for any experience condition. Many ORA summaries allowed degree-eligible candidates within age; confirm only from Advt 07/2026 text for claims you already made.
Where is the official PDF?
Advt No. 07/2026 English PDF on upsc.gov.in.
Archival summary based on UPSC Advertisement No. 07/2026 (25 June 2026). Apply window closed 17 July 2026. Verify RT/interview updates only on upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in/ora/.