New Delhi/IBNS: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved the appointment of Dr Rajeev Raghuvanshi as the new Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) was approved by the, an official release stated.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted interviews for the appointment of the DCGI in January.

The DCGI heads the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) which gives approval to new drugs, regulates clinical trials, and ensures quality drugs supply across the country.

The top contenders for the post were Dr. VG Somani, Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, and Dr Jai Prakash.

"The Union Public Service Commission on the basis of assessment of bio-data of the eligible officers received...and after holding personal talks with them on January 27 recommend Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi for appointment to the post of Drug Controller (India) by short-term contract basis," the UPSC communicated to the Health Ministry on January 30.

Dr Raghuvanshi had joined Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) as secretary-cum-scientific director on February 16, 2021.

Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi has completed his bachelors and masters degrees from IIT-BHU (Formerly IT-BHU), Varanasi and Ph.D. from the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi.

His PhD work is in the area of Extended Release Formulation of Vaccines, a project conceptualized to help reduce the number of injections required to be given for complete immunization.

He has also done ISB-Kellogg Global Advanced Management Progam.

After working for 7 years at the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, Dr Rajeev moved to join the pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.

After having spent 12 years with Ranbaxy Laboratories, Dr Rajeev moved to another Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd, where he worked for 11 years.

Dr Raghuvanshi’s expertise lies in dosage form design and development, mainly in the domain of pharmaceutical innovation.

He has been involved in the development of different kinds of products like Oral Solids, Oral liquids, Topicals, Injections, Nasal Sprays, Auto-injectors, Sublingual, Mouth Dissolve, Extended Release and Delayed Release for global markets.

More than 200 products developed by him and his teams are currently being sold in India, US Europe and Emerging Markets.

Dr Raghuvanshi has 14 granted US patents along with more than 250 published PCTs and Indian Patents.

He has more than 25 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has co-authored 6 chapters in books.