Section 33G of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 - Inspectors
Section 33G provides for the appointment and legal status of Inspectors for the Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drug regulatory framework under Chapter IVA of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. It also requires prescribed qualifications, regulates their powers and duties, and bars appointment where the person has a financial interest in the manufacture or sale of a drug.
Text of Section 33G - Inspectors
(1) The Central Government or a State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint such persons as it thinks fit, having the prescribed qualifications, to be Inspectors for such areas as may be assigned to them by the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be.
(2) The powers which may be exercised by an Inspector and the duties which may be performed by him and the conditions, limitations or restrictions subject to which such powers and duties may be exercised or performed shall be such as may be prescribed.
(3) No person who has any financial interest in the manufacture or sale of any drug shall be appointed to be an Inspector under this section.
(4) Every Inspector shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and shall be officially subordinate to such authority as the Government appointing him may specify in this behalf.
Meaning and scope of Section 33G
| Provision | Practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Section 33G(1) | Authorises the Central Government or a State Government to appoint persons with prescribed qualifications as Inspectors by notification in the Official Gazette and assign territorial areas to them. |
| Section 33G(2) | Leaves the detailed powers, duties, conditions, limitations and restrictions of Inspectors to the prescribed rules. |
| Section 33G(3) | Creates a conflict-of-interest safeguard: a person having a financial interest in the manufacture or sale of a drug cannot be appointed as an Inspector under this section. |
| Section 33G(4) | Treats the Inspector as a public servant and places the Inspector under the authority specified by the appointing Government. |
Prescribed qualifications under Rule 167
For an Inspector appointed under Section 33G, Rule 167 of the Drugs Rules, 1945 prescribes alternative qualification routes. Broadly, the person must either satisfy the qualifications under Rule 49 together with practical training in manufacture of the relevant Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs, or possess the specified recognised degree or diploma in the relevant Indian system of medicine or Ayurveda Pharmacy.
Because appointment under Section 33G expressly depends on "prescribed qualifications", Rule 167 should be read with the section when considering eligibility for appointment.
Duties of Inspectors under Rule 162
Rule 162 deals with Inspectors specially authorised to inspect manufacture of Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs. Subject to the controlling authority's instructions, their duties include inspection of licensed manufacturing premises, reporting compliance after inspection, taking samples for test or analysis, and instituting prosecution for violations of the Act and Rules.
The rule requires inspection of licensed manufacturing premises within the allotted area not less than twice a year. These functions support regulatory supervision of manufacturing licences and compliance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Drugs Rules, 1945.
Relationship with Section 33H
Section 33H applies the provisions of Sections 22, 23, 24 and 25, and the rules made under them, so far as may be, to an Inspector and Government Analyst appointed under Chapter IVA, with references to "drug" read as references to Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs. Section 33G should therefore be read together with Section 33H when examining an Inspector's operational powers and procedures.
Public servant reference after commencement of the BNS
Current-law note: The published text of Section 33G(4) continues to refer to Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 came into force on 1 July 2024 and repealed the IPC, subject to its repeal-and-savings provision. The BNS definition of "public servant" is contained in Section 2(28). For the wording of Section 33G itself, the bare Act text should be reproduced as enacted unless and until the cross-reference is formally amended.
Why Section 33G matters
Section 33G creates the statutory foundation for the inspection machinery governing Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs under Chapter IVA. The provision is important because it links appointment to notified governmental authority, prescribed professional qualifications, defined regulatory powers and duties, freedom from financial conflict of interest, and public-servant status.
Official legal resources
For the latest consolidated legal material, refer to the official India Code database and the CDSCO Acts and Rules page. The CDSCO Traditional Drugs page also identifies an Inspector, in relation to Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs, as an Inspector appointed under Section 33G.
Last reviewed: 25 September 2026. Readers should verify later amendments, notifications and rules from official Government sources before relying on the provision for a specific legal matter.