MASTER OFFENCES & PENALTIES SHEET Consolidated, Categorized & Updated (As of October 2026)
Subject: UPSC Drug Inspector Exam 2026
Subject: UPSC Drug Inspector Exam 2026
(Primary Act for Drug Inspector)
| Section | Offence | Penalty (First) | Penalty (Subsequent) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18(a) | Manufacture of spurious/misbranded/adulterated drugs | 3-5 years RI + ₹10,000-50,000 | 5-10 years RI + ₹50,000-1 lakh |
| 18(c) | Manufacture of drugs without license | 3-5 years RI + ₹10,000-50,000 | 5-10 years RI + ₹50,000-1 lakh |
| 27 | Contravention of Section 18 | 3-5 years RI + ₹10,000-50,000 | 5-10 years RI + ₹50,000-1 lakh |
| 27A | Manufacture of spurious drug | 7 years to Life + ₹1-5 lakh | Life imprisonment + ₹2-10 lakh |
| 27B | Manufacture of adulterated drug | 5-10 years RI + ₹50,000-2 lakh | 7 years to Life + ₹1-5 lakh |
| 28 | Manufacture in unlicensed premises | 3-5 years RI + ₹10,000-50,000 | 5-10 years RI + ₹50,000-1 lakh |
Memory Trick:
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 18(b) | Sale of spurious/misbranded/adulterated drugs | Same as manufacture (Section 27) |
| 18(d) | Sale without license | 1-3 years RI + ₹5,000-25,000 |
| 27C | Sale of spurious drug | 7 years to Life + ₹1-5 lakh |
| 27D | Sale of adulterated drug | 5-10 years RI + ₹50,000-2 lakh |
| 28A | Sale of drugs by unlicensed dealer | 1-3 years RI + ₹5,000-25,000 |
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 18(e) | Misbranded drug (wrong label) | 1-3 years RI + ₹5,000-25,000 |
| 18(f) | Adulterated drug | 3-5 years RI + ₹10,000-50,000 |
| 18(g) | Spurious drug | 7 years to Life + ₹1-5 lakh |
| 18(h) | Not of standard quality | 3-5 years RI + ₹10,000-50,000 |
| 32 | Contravention of labeling provisions | 6 months RI or fine ₹10,000-50,000 or both |
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 18A | Manufacture/sale of spurious cosmetics | 2-5 years RI + ₹50,000-1 lakh |
| 27E | Manufacture of adulterated cosmetics | 2-5 years RI + ₹50,000-1 lakh |
| 27F | Sale of spurious cosmetics | 2-5 years RI + ₹50,000-1 lakh |
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 36AB | Violation of Clinical Trial Rules | 3-5 years RI + ₹50,000-5 lakh |
| 36AC | Repeat offence by sponsor | 5-10 years RI + ₹1-10 lakh |
(Narcotics – Harshest Penalties)
| Substance | Small Quantity | Commercial Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Heroin | 0.5g → 6 months RI or ₹10,000 | 250g → 10-20 years RI + ₹1-2 lakh |
| Opium | 5g → 6 months RI or ₹10,000 | 10kg → 10-20 years RI + ₹1-2 lakh |
| Ganja | 250g → 6 months RI or ₹10,000 | 20kg → 10-20 years RI + ₹1-2 lakh |
| Cocaine | 2g → 6 months RI or ₹10,000 | 100g → 10-20 years RI + ₹1-2 lakh |
| Morphine | 2g → 6 months RI or ₹10,000 | 250g → 10-20 years RI + ₹1-2 lakh |
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 31A | Repeat offence (commercial quantity) | Death Penalty (Mandatory) |
| 27A | Financing illicit traffic | 10-20 years RI + ₹1-2 lakh |
| 25 | Allowing premises for offence | 3 years RI or fine or both |
| 27 | Consumption | 6 months-1 year RI (hard drugs) |
| 32A | No remission/suspension | Mandatory minimum |
Memory Trick:
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Sale without license | 3 months RI or ₹500 or both |
| Subsequent offence | 6 months RI or ₹1,000 or both |
| Sale to minor/intoxicated person | 3 months RI or ₹500 |
| Death caused by poison | 3 years RI + fine |
Note: State-specific rules apply (e.g., Maharashtra Poisons Rules, 1973)
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Practice without registration | 6 months RI or ₹1,000 or both |
| 42A | Misuse of "Registered Pharmacist" title | 6 months RI or ₹1,000 or both |
| 44 | Opening pharmacy without registration | 6 months RI or ₹1,000 or both |
Memory Trick: Pharmacy Act = "42" (Answer to everything – Hitchhiker's Guide) = 6 months/₹1,000
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Advertisement of magic remedies | 6 months RI or ₹1,000 or both |
| 6 | Import of magic remedies | 6 months RI or ₹1,000 or both |
| 7 | Sale of magic remedies | 6 months RI or ₹1,000 or both |
Key: Magic remedies = 6 months/₹1,000 (uniform)
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Manufacture of alcohol-based preparations without bond | 6 months RI or ₹2,000 or both |
| Illegal sale of intoxicating preparations | 6 months RI or ₹2,000 or both |
| Offence Description | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Section 118: False representation to obtain patent | 2 years RI or ₹1 lakh or both |
| Section 119: Wrongful use of "Patent Office" | 6 months RI or ₹50,000 or both |
| Section 120: Refusal/failure to supply information | 3 months RI or ₹20,000 or both |
| Section 121: Practice by non-registered patent agents | Fine up to ₹1 lakh |
Note: Most patent violations are civil, not criminal (except above)
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 103 | Falsifying trademark | 3 years RI + ₹2 lakh |
| 104 | Selling counterfeit goods | 6 months-3 years RI + ₹50,000-2 lakh |
| 105 | Second offence | 1-3 years RI + ₹1-2 lakh |
| 107 | Falsifying trade description | 3 years RI + ₹2 lakh |
Memory Trick: TM offences = "103-107" (Police code) = 3 years standard
| Section | Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| 63 | Infringement of copyright | 6 months-3 years RI + ₹50,000-2 lakh |
| 63A | Second offence | 1-3 years RI + ₹1-2 lakh |
| 63B | Knowing use of infringing copy | 7 days-3 years RI + ₹50,000-2 lakh |
| 65 | Possession of plates for infringement | 2 years RI + ₹2 lakh |
CATEGORY J: FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS ACT, 2006
(Overlap with nutraceuticals)
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 51: Substandard food | 6 months RI + ₹1 lakh |
| 52: Misbranded food | 1 year RI + ₹3 lakh |
| 53: Adulterated food | 6 years RI + ₹5 lakh |
| 54: Spurious food | 7 years RI + ₹10 lakh |
| 59: Unsafe food (injury) | 2-5 years RI + ₹5 lakh |
| 59: Unsafe food (death) | 7 years to Life + ₹10 lakh |
| Years | Acts | Key Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months | Pharmacy Act, Magic Remedies, Poisons Act | Unregistered practice, false ads |
| 1-3 years | D&C Act (Sale without license), TM Act | Minor commercial offences |
| 3-5 years | D&C Act (Manufacturing offences) | Unlicensed manufacture, misbranding |
| 5-10 years | D&C Act (Adulterated drugs) | Health risk but not death |
| 7 years-Life | D&C Act (Spurious drugs), NDPS (Repeat) | Death or serious injury likely |
| Death Penalty | NDPS Section 31A | Repeat commercial trafficking |
| Amount | Acts |
|---|---|
| ₹1,000 | Pharmacy Act, Magic Remedies |
| ₹10,000-50,000 | D&C Act (standard offences) |
| ₹50,000-2 lakh | D&C Act (adulterated), TM Act, Copyright |
| ₹1-5 lakh | D&C Act (spurious), NDPS |
| ₹10 lakh+ | FSSA (death cases) |
| Act | "Must Know" Sections |
|---|---|
| D&C Act | 18, 27, 27A, 27B, 28, 32, 36AB |
| NDPS | 15-22, 27A, 31A, 32A, 64A |
| Pharmacy | 42, 42A |
| TM Act | 103, 104, 105 |
| Copyright | 63, 63A, 65 |
| Patents | 118, 120 |
| Act | Term | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| D&C Act 27A | 7 years-Life | ₹1-5 lakh |
| FSSA 54 | 7 years RI | ₹10 lakh |
| NDPS (Heroin) | 10-20 years | ₹1-2 lakh |
| Act | Term | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| D&C Act 27B | 5-10 years | ₹50,000-2 lakh |
| FSSA 53 | 6 years RI | ₹5 lakh |
| Act | Term | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| D&C Act 18(e) | 1-3 years | ₹5,000-25,000 |
| FSSA 52 | 1 year RI | ₹3 lakh |
Q1. Manufacture of spurious drugs under D&C Act is punishable under:
(a) Section 27 (b) Section 27A (c) Section 28 (d) Section 32
Answer: (b) – 7 years to Life
Q2. Death penalty under NDPS Act is provided for:
(a) First offence (b) Second offence of commercial quantity (c) Consumption (d) Financing
Answer: (b) – Section 31A
Q3. Sale of poison to a minor is punishable under Poisons Act with:
(a) 1 year (b) 3 months (c) 6 months (d) 2 years
Answer: (b)
Q4. Practice as pharmacist without registration is punishable under:
(a) D&C Act (b) Pharmacy Act Section 42 (c) Poisons Act (d) NDPS Act
Answer: (b) – 6 months or ₹1,000
Q5. Repeat offence of trademark counterfeiting is punishable with:
(a) 6 months (b) 1 year (c) 1-3 years (d) 5 years
Answer: (c) – Section 105
Q6. Which Act provides for "no suspension of sentence"?
(a) D&C Act (b) NDPS Act Section 32A (c) Pharmacy Act (d) TM Act
Answer: (b)
Q7. Adulterated food causing death under FSSA is punishable with:
(a) 6 years (b) 7 years (c) 7 years to Life (d) Death
Answer: (c) – Section 59
Q8. Compulsory license under Patents Act is available after:
(a) 1 year (b) 2 years (c) 3 years (d) 5 years
Answer: (c) – Section 84
Q9. The penalty for magic remedy advertisement is:
(a) 1 year (b) 6 months (c) 2 years (d) 3 years
Answer: (b) – DMR Act Section 5
Q10. Under D&C Act, subsequent offence of manufacturing misbranded drugs attracts:
(a) Same penalty (b) 1/3rd enhanced penalty (c) Double penalty (d) Life imprisonment
Answer: (b) – Section 29