The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) sets maximum prices for essential medicines under the Drug Prices Control Order (DPCO) 2013. You can check whether your medicine has a government-fixed price ceiling at nppaimis.nic.in — search by the generic (salt) name, not the brand name. If a pharmacist or hospital charges more than the ceiling price for a scheduled medicine, it is illegal. You can report overcharging to NPPA, the State Drug Controller, or file a consumer complaint via the e-Jagriti portal. This guide explains how the system works and how to use it.

India has a government body whose entire job is to make sure you are not overcharged for essential medicines. It is called the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), and it maintains a free, public portal where you can check the maximum legal price of hundreds of medicines. Here is how to use it.

What Is the NPPA?

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority is an independent body under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India. Its primary job is to fix and revise prices of essential medicines so that they remain affordable for ordinary Indians.

NPPA exercises its powers under the Drug Prices Control Order (DPCO), 2013 — a government order that sets the rules for how medicine prices are controlled in India.

How Medicine Price Control Works in India

The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM)

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare maintains the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). The current list, NLEM 2022, includes 384 drugs across 27 therapeutic categories. These are the medicines considered most important for the health needs of the Indian population.

Scheduled vs. Non-Scheduled Medicines

Medicines on the NLEM are called scheduled medicines under the DPCO 2013. For these medicines, NPPA sets a ceiling price — the maximum price any manufacturer can charge. No company can sell that medicine above this price.

Annual revision: Ceiling prices of scheduled medicines are revised every year on 1 April, based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for the preceding calendar year. NPPA notifies the revised prices through a gazette notification.

For non-scheduled medicines (those not on the NLEM), the rules are different but still protective: under Paragraph 20 of DPCO 2013, no manufacturer can increase the MRP of a non-scheduled medicine by more than 10% in any 12-month period.

How to Check Medicine Prices on the NPPA Portal

Follow these steps to check if your medicine is being sold above the government-fixed price:

  1. Visit the NPPA medicine price search page at nppaimis.nic.in/nppaprice/newmedicinepricesearch.aspx
  2. Enter the medicine name — type the generic name (salt name) of the drug, for example "Paracetamol" or "Metformin".
  3. Select the dosage form and strength — for example, "Tablet 500mg".
  4. View results — the portal will show the ceiling price fixed by NPPA along with the company name and formulation details.
  5. Compare with your bill — if the price on your hospital bill or pharmacy receipt exceeds the ceiling price shown on the portal, the medicine may be overpriced.
Tip: Search by the generic (salt) name, not the brand name. The generic name is printed on every medicine strip in India, usually in smaller text below the brand name.

What to Do If You Have Been Overcharged

If you find that a pharmacy or hospital charged you more than the NPPA ceiling price for a scheduled medicine, here is what you can do:

  1. Collect evidence — keep the bill, the medicine strip (which shows the MRP), and a screenshot of the NPPA portal showing the ceiling price.
  2. Complain to the pharmacy or hospital — show them the NPPA ceiling price and ask for a refund of the overcharged amount. Many will comply once they realise you know the rules.
  3. Report to NPPA — you can email your complaint with supporting documents to the NPPA. Visit nppa.gov.in for contact details.
  4. File a consumer complaint — if the overcharging is significant, you can file a complaint under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 through the e-Jagriti portal.
  5. Report to the Drug Controller — contact your State Drug Controller or the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to report the violation.

What Happens to Companies That Overcharge?

NPPA monitors compliance and takes action against companies that sell scheduled medicines above ceiling prices. Under DPCO 2013, NPPA can:

Beyond Price Ceilings: Trade Margin Rationalization

NPPA also monitors trade margins. If a medicine has an unreasonable difference between the manufacturer's price and the retail price, NPPA can intervene. This is especially relevant for expensive medicines like cancer drugs, where trade margins have historically been very high.

Quick Checklist for Patients

The Bottom Line

The Indian government has put in place a clear system to prevent overcharging on medicines. The NPPA portal at nppaimis.nic.in is free and open to everyone. Spending two minutes checking your medicine price can save you hundreds or even thousands of rupees. Do not pay more than you have to.

Sources

  1. NPPA Medicine Price Search — nppaimis.nic.in
  2. National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority — nppa.gov.in
  3. Drug Prices Control Order (DPCO), 2013 — pharma-dept.gov.in/dpconppa
  4. Department of Pharmaceuticals — pharmaceuticals.gov.in
  5. National List of Essential Medicines 2022 — mohfw.gov.in