RAS question
Who released the 10th edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026?
Correct answer: (C) Health Minister J.P. Nadda.
Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda released the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026, the 10th edition of India's official book of drug standards, at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
Explanation
Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda released the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. The PIB release identifies IP 2026 as the 10th edition of India's official book of drug standards, so the event belongs to the Union Health Ministry's pharmaceutical-regulation domain rather than to the President, Prime Minister, or ICMR. The source also explains why the release matters: the Indian Pharmacopoeia is the official standards book for drugs in India and a cornerstone of the regulatory framework for pharmaceuticals. IP 2026 added 121 new monographs, taking the total to 3,340, and strengthened coverage across medicines such as anti-tubercular, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer drugs, along with iron supplements.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) President Droupadi Murmu is not named in the PIB release as releasing IP 2026; the release attributes the event to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda.
- (B) The ICMR Director General is not the releasing authority in the source, and the event concerns the Indian Pharmacopoeia rather than an ICMR release.
- (D) PM Narendra Modi is mentioned only in the broader government context in the PIB release, while the act of releasing IP 2026 is attributed to J. P. Nadda.
Concept
This tests current affairs in Science and Technology, especially health regulation and official standards for medicines. RAS often asks such release-based questions because they connect a named Union minister with a regulatory instrument and its public-health relevance.