The 2026 DPCO ceiling prices, in one paragraph
NPPA’s office memorandum of 25 March 2026 fixed the annual Wholesale Price Index movement at +0.64956% for calendar year 2025 over 2024, using data from the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT.[1] Under paragraph 16(2) of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, manufacturers of scheduled formulations may raise MRP by that percentage without prior government approval. Revised ceiling prices took effect on 1 April 2026.
Critically, the revision was not one notification. It was issued as four separate gazette orders covering three different NLEM vintages, plus a further order for notified medical devices. If you check only the 767-formulation list, you will miss the products governed by the other three.[3]
Position as at 19 August 2026. The 0.64956% revision remains the operative annual adjustment. NPPA has continued to notify individual ceiling and retail prices since April. As at 23 July 2026 the Government reported ceiling prices in force for 935 scheduled formulations, against NLEM 2022 which contains 388 medicines under 29 therapeutic categories.[5] That 935 is a cumulative running count quoted in Parliament, not a published document — NPPA has never issued a single file listing 935 items, so do not go looking for one. The published artefacts are the individual S.O. notifications and the consolidated lists state drug control offices maintain from them.
Which March 2026 order covers your product
All four orders are dated 25 March 2026, all apply the same 0.64956% factor, and all take effect 1 April 2026. What differs is the Schedule-I vintage each one attaches to. Select an order to see what it covers.
Schedule-I based on NLEM 2022
The main annual order, and the one most people mean by “the DPCO 2026 list”. It was issued under paragraphs 4, 6, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17 and 18 of DPCO 2013 and supersedes the earlier price orders referenced in column 6 of its own tables.[2]
- Ceiling prices are stated exclusive of GST. GST may be added only where it is actually paid or payable to Government.
- Pack ceiling price is derived from the notified unit ceiling price under paragraph 11. For a pack size not covered, apply to NPPA for a specific price approval.
- The price list must be issued in Form-V under paragraph 24(2), through IPDMS, with copies to the State Drug Controller and to dealers.[2]
Schedule-I based on NLEM 2015
A smaller residual list of formulations whose ceiling prices still sit under the NLEM 2015 vintage of Schedule-I rather than NLEM 2022.[3] This is the order most commonly missed, because searches for “DPCO list 2026” almost always surface only the 767-item file.
If a molecule you market does not appear in the 767 list but you know it is price-controlled, check this order before concluding the product is non-scheduled. Concluding wrongly is an overcharging exposure, not a paperwork error.
Schedule-I based on NLEM 2011
A very small legacy set still governed by the NLEM 2011 vintage of Schedule-I.[3] Six formulations only, but the same 0.64956% factor and the same 1 April 2026 effective date apply, and the same recovery consequences follow if you overcharge on them.
IV fluids with special-feature packs, and notified medical devices
S.O. 1583(E) covers 8 intravenous fluids in packages having special features, under Schedule-I (NLEM 2022).[3] Separately, NPPA notified revised ceiling prices for the medical devices that sit inside Schedule-I — coronary stents, condoms and intra-uterine devices — applying the same 0.64956% WPI figure under paragraph 16(2) read with paragraph 13(2) of DPCO 2013.[3]
A separate order, S.O. 1590(E) of the same date, fixed retail prices of 31 new drugs. Retail price fixation for a new drug under paragraph 2(1)(u) is a different mechanism from ceiling price revision and is not covered by the WPI uplift.
DPCO 2026 ceiling price index
All 935 scheduled formulations notified on 25 March 2026, in force from 1 April 2026 after the +0.64956% WPI revision. Prices are per pricing unit and exclusive of GST.
| # | Drug | Dosage form and strength | Unit | Ceiling price (Rs.) | Order |
|---|
NPPA lists molecules, not brands. Common names are mapped for you – searching aspirin, dextrose, saline, acetaminophen, HCQ, TDF or vitamin D finds the right molecule. Scroll the table sideways on a phone. Ceiling prices are exclusive of GST; GST may be added only where actually paid or payable to Government.
Read the order column before you price. The 2026 revision was issued as nine separate gazette orders across three vintages of Schedule-I. A molecule absent from S.O. 1575(E) is not automatically non-scheduled: 138 formulations sit under S.O. 1581(E) and six under S.O. 1582(E). Filter by order above to see each one on its own.
Source and currency. Compiled from the consolidated NPPA ceiling price list as on 27 May 2026 published by the Office of the Drugs Controller, Government of Kerala, which carries the S.O. reference against every entry. Row counts reconcile to the notified totals: 767 under S.O. 1575(E), 138 under S.O. 1581(E), 6 under S.O. 1582(E), 8 under S.O. 1583(E). Entries marked revised were changed after the March order. Verify any individual price against the current notification at nppa.gov.in before applying it to a product. For how the WPI factor is applied to your own MRP under paragraph 16(2), see the DPCO 2026 explainer and MRP calculator above. For the previous cycle, see the DPCO price list 2025; for interim fixations between annual cycles see NPPA price fixations and new drug retail prices. All DPCO notifications covered on this site are indexed under DPCO. Need this mapped to your own SKUs? Regulatory compliance consulting.
Where to download the official NPPA price list
There is no single consolidated “DPCO 2026 PDF” published as one file. NPPA publishes each S.O. individually, and the practical consolidated view is maintained by state drug control offices. Two sources are worth bookmarking:
- S.O. 1575(E) on nppa.gov.in — the primary order text with the operative conditions. NPPA’s notification index carries the other three orders.[2]
- NPPA Updated Price List as on 27/05/2026 (PDF) — a consolidated ceiling price list hosted by the Office of the Drugs Controller, Kerala, carrying the S.O. references against each entry.[6]
A downloaded PDF is a snapshot, not the law. NPPA notifies fresh ceiling and retail prices at almost every Authority meeting, and the annual list starts drifting within weeks. A concrete example from the current cycle: Benzathine benzylpenicillin powder for injection 6 lac units was notified at ₹11.97 in the March order, then revised to ₹13.42 vide S.O. 2681(E) dated 27 May 2026.[6] Treat any consolidated PDF as a working reference and confirm the individual molecule against the current notification before you print a carton.
Paragraph 16(2) MRP calculator
The single most common pricing error is assuming that a product priced below the ceiling may be raised to the ceiling. It may not. Paragraph 13(2) requires an existing manufacturer whose MRP is below the notified ceiling to maintain that MRP, subject only to the WPI-linked uplift permitted under paragraph 16(2).[2][4] In other words the 0.64956% applies to your MRP, not to the gap between your MRP and the ceiling.
Enter your current MRP to see the maximum permitted revision. The ceiling field is optional; supply it and the tool will also test the cap.
Method: permitted MRP = current MRP × 1.0064956, capped at the notified ceiling price. Figures are per pricing unit and exclusive of GST, matching how NPPA states them. This is an arithmetic aid, not a price approval.
What you actually have to do
Two questions decide your obligation. Answer both.
The verdict names the governing order and the filing that follows from it.
Forms, paragraphs and deadlines
Most compliance failures on a WPI cycle are filing failures, not pricing failures. The order is explicit that a revision which is not reported is treated as no revision at all — and the overcharged amount then runs from the date of the increase.[2]
| Form | Purpose | Governing paragraph | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form-I | Prior price approval for a new drug launched by an existing manufacturer of a scheduled formulation | Para 2(1)(u), Schedule-II | Before launch |
| Form-II | Intimation of the revised MRP after taking the WPI uplift | Para 16(2) | Within 15 days of revision |
| Form-III | Quarterly return of production, import and sale of scheduled formulations | DPCO 2013 | Quarterly, via IPDMS |
| Form-IV | Notice of intended discontinuation of a scheduled formulation | DPCO 2013 | At least 6 months prior |
| Form-V | Price list to NPPA through IPDMS, with copies to the State Drug Controller and dealers | Para 24(2) | From the date of notification |
| — | Display of the price list at the business premises by dealers and retailers | Para 24(4) | Continuous |
Scroll the table sideways on a phone.
How 0.64956% compares with earlier cycles
The WPI factor is not a policy decision NPPA makes each year — it is arithmetic on the all-commodities index supplied by the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT. That is why it swings so widely. Planning a portfolio on the assumption of a stable annual uplift is not supportable.
| Applied from | WPI change | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2024 | +0.00551% | CY2023 over CY2022[7] |
| 1 April 2025 | +1.74028% | CY2024 over CY2023[8] |
| 1 April 2026 | +0.64956% | CY2025 over CY2024[1] |
For context, the two cycles before these were far larger — an increase of over 12% applied in 2023 and around 10.7% in 2022, reflecting the post-pandemic input cost surge.[9] Those figures are as reported in the trade and general press; the exact notified percentages should be read from the relevant NPPA memoranda before being used in a submission.
How the ceiling price itself is arrived at
The WPI uplift adjusts an existing ceiling. The ceiling itself is set on a market-based formula, not a cost-plus one — the change DPCO 2013 made to the 1995 regime.[4]
- Average price to retailer. Under paragraph 4, the simple average of the price to retailer of all brands of that scheduled formulation holding at least 1% market share. Simple, not sales-weighted — a 1% brand pulls the average as hard as the market leader does.
- Retailer margin. Paragraph 7 adds 16% of price to retailer as the margin to retailer.
- MRP. Paragraph 8: MRP equals the notified ceiling price plus local taxes as applicable.
Non-scheduled formulations are a different regime entirely. There is no ceiling. Paragraph 20 instead caps you at a 10% increase in MRP over the preceding twelve months, and NPPA monitors it. Breach it and you are liable to deposit the overcharged amount with interest from the date of the increase.[10] Enforcement is real, not theoretical: ₹72.73 crore was recovered from defaulting companies in FY 2023-24 alone.[10]
Related on Laafon Galaxy
The previous cycle, with the 743 formulations revised under the 1.74028% WPI factor. Useful when you need the pre-April-2026 ceiling for a retrospective calculation.
The running index of price notifications covered on this site, ordered by date.
A worked example of an interim NPPA price fixation between annual WPI cycles.
How retail price fixation under paragraph 2(1)(u) differs from ceiling price revision.
The manufacturing-side obligation that sits alongside pricing compliance for the same licence.
Schedule H governs sale and dispensing. It is a separate schedule from DPCO Schedule-I and the two are frequently confused.
Where ceiling prices bite hardest on contract pricing and negotiated conversion rates.
DPCO ceilings set the outer limit of what a PCD partner can be offered on scheduled products.
Need a second pair of eyes on your DPCO position?
We map in-market SKUs to the governing S.O., re-check MRPs against the notified ceiling, and prepare the Form-II and Form-V trail so the file stands up to an NPPA query. 23 years in pharmaceutical QA, QC and drug regulatory affairs.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The ceiling prices notified on 25 March 2026 took effect on 1 April 2026 and remain the operative annual revision until the next WPI cycle, which would ordinarily be notified in March 2027 and take effect 1 April 2027. NPPA has continued to notify individual ceiling and retail prices through 2026, so the consolidated position moves between annual cycles even though the WPI factor does not.
It depends on which vintage of Schedule-I your formulation sits in. S.O. 1575(E) covers 767 formulations under NLEM 2022, S.O. 1581(E) covers 138 under NLEM 2015, S.O. 1582(E) covers 6 under NLEM 2011, and S.O. 1583(E) covers 8 intravenous fluids in special-feature packs. Notified medical devices were dealt with separately. Checking only the 767-item list is the most common cause of a wrongly concluded non-scheduled status.
No. An existing manufacturer whose MRP is lower than the notified ceiling must continue to maintain that existing MRP under paragraph 13(2) of DPCO 2013. The only headroom available is the annual WPI-linked revision under paragraph 16(2), which for the 2026 cycle is 0.64956% applied to your own current MRP. Jumping straight to the ceiling is an overcharging exposure even though the ceiling itself is higher.
Yes, and the deadline is short. An upward revision taken under the order must be reported to Government in Form-II within fifteen days of the revision. Failure to file is construed as no revision having been made, which means the higher price you actually charged becomes an overcharge, recoverable with interest from the date of the increase. A Form-V price list must separately be issued through IPDMS with copies to the State Drug Controller and to dealers.
No. The WPI memorandum and the ceiling price orders apply to scheduled formulations in Schedule-I. Non-scheduled formulations are governed by paragraph 20 of DPCO 2013, which permits no more than a 10% increase in MRP over the preceding twelve months. Companies sometimes use the WPI figure as an internal benchmark, but it carries no legal force for a non-scheduled product and does not displace the 10% cap.
NPPA publishes each gazette order separately on nppa.gov.in rather than as one consolidated annual PDF. The nearest thing to a single file is the consolidated ceiling price list maintained by state drug control offices, such as the Office of the Drugs Controller, Kerala, which carries the S.O. reference against each entry. Any such consolidated file is a snapshot and should be checked against the current notification before it is relied on for pricing.
References
- National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority. Office Memorandum: Movement in Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for the preceding calendar year 2025 over the year 2024. New Delhi: NPPA, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers; 25 March 2026. Available from: https://nppa.gov.in/. Accessed August 2026.
- Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Department of Pharmaceuticals. Notification S.O. 1575(E): revision in ceiling prices of 767 scheduled formulations under Schedule-I (NLEM 2022) of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3(ii); 25 March 2026. Available from: https://nppa.gov.in/en/1575e. Accessed August 2026.
- National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority. Bi-monthly e-Newsletter, Vol. XXVIII. New Delhi: NPPA; April 2026. Available from: https://nppa.gov.in/. Accessed August 2026.
- Government of India. The Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. New Delhi: Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers; 15 May 2013. Available from: https://www.indiacode.nic.in/. Accessed August 2026.
- Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Quality and pricing of medicines. Rajya Sabha written reply by the Minister of State, Smt. Anupriya Patel. Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Available from: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2200938. Accessed August 2026.
- Office of the Drugs Controller, Government of Kerala. NPPA updated price list as on 27/05/2026 [PDF]. Available from: https://dc.kerala.gov.in/. Accessed August 2026.
- Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. NPPA has fixed the ceiling prices of 928 scheduled formulations as on 25.3.2025 [notes the 0.00551% increase effective 1.4.2024]. Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Available from: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2116217. Accessed August 2026.
- Koul S. NPPA to allow 1.74% hike in MRP of scheduled drugs in line with WPI rise. Business Standard; 26 March 2025. Available from: https://www.business-standard.com/. Accessed August 2026.
- NPPA permits 0.64% price rise on essential medicines in line with WPI. Outlook India; 26 March 2026. Available from: https://www.outlookindia.com/. Accessed August 2026.
- Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. NPPA monitors the prices of scheduled as well as non-scheduled medicines under DPCO, 2013. Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Available from: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2038955. Accessed August 2026.
Disclaimer. This page is technical and educational content for pharmaceutical professionals. It is not legal, pricing or investment advice. Indian statutory instruments, gazette notifications and NPPA ceiling prices change frequently, and figures stated here reflect the position verified as at 19 August 2026. Verify every price against the governing notification on nppa.gov.in before applying it to a product. Written by Darshan Singh, pharmaceutical QA, QC and drug regulatory affairs, 23 years.
