New Delhi : The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is planning to hire a set of consultants and young professionals skilled in specific courses to engage them in various levels of its operations on a contract basis.
It has called for applications from eligible candidates to fill the post of 21 consultants and 12 young professionals, within 21 days from the publication of the circular, which was issued on November 30, 2021.
The posts notified include a consultant (non-tech, Grade II) with three years experience as under secretary or deputy secretary or equivalent in Public Sector Undertaking or local body under the age of 64 years on the last date of the application.
A post for senior consultant (legal), two posts of senior consultant (pharma), two posts of consultant (legal) and four posts of consultant (pharma), two posts of consultant (medical device), seven posts of consultant (cost), and two posts of consultant (data analysis), are also announced.
Besides, 12 posts of young professionals (data analysis, medical device and pharma) and four posts of young professionals (data analysis), six posts of young professional (pharma), and two posts of young professionals (medical device) were announced through the order.
Candidates will be hired on a contractual basis for a period of one year, which can be extended up to 3 years depending on the satisfactory performance of the candidate or the need of NPPA. Senior consultants will be paid a fixed amount of Rs. 60,000 per month, consultants Rs. 50,000 a month and consultant (non-tech, Grade II) at Rs. 65,000 per month as consultancy fees.
The young professionals will get a fixed consultancy fee of Rs, 40,000 a month. The consolidated fee will include applicable taxes and no other allowance will be paid. For retired government servants appointed as consultants, the consultancy fee shall be decided as per the relevant rules of Government of India subject to the ceiling, it added.
The decision comes at a time when the drug price controller is gearing up to meet the requirements of a fast growing pharma and medical devices sector. The price regulator is expecting to see more responsibilities falling on its shoulders with new formulations, delivery methods and others are emerging.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the peculiar situation it has created, the NPPA has seen responsibilities to tightly monitor the market and ensure that the essential drugs are available in the market and accessible to everybody at a reasonable price, while ensuring that there are no exorbitant price increase for these drugs due to heightened demand. It has also used the trade margin rationalisation tool to control the prices of essential medical devices such as blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, glucometer and others, during the pandemic period.
