Schedule X

📘 SCHEDULE X – DETAILED NOTES

(Most restricted schedule after Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act)

Schedule X deals with habit-forming, addictive, psychotropic, and abuse-prone medicines with high potential for dependence.

These drugs are controlled under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Rules, NOT under NDPS (but may overlap).

🎯 KEY FEATURES OF SCHEDULE X (VERY IMPORTANT)

1. License Required for Manufacture, Sale, and Distribution

Separate license under Rule 54 & 55.

2. Mandatory Record Keeping — 2 Years

Pharmacists must maintain:

• Name of patient
• Prescriber details
• Drug name, quantity
• Batch no./manufacture date
  Records preserved for 2 years.

3. No Refilling of Prescription

Unless original prescriber authorizes refills.

4. Retail Sale Conditions (Rule 65)

• Must be kept in locked cabinets
• Sold only on duplicate prescription
• One copy retained by pharmacist

5. Label Requirements

Each container must show:

• Red border
• “Schedule X” printed clearly
• Manufacturer license number
• Batch and expiry details

🧪 DRUG CATEGORIES IN SCHEDULE X

Schedule X mainly contains psychotropic drugs that also fall under the 1971 UN Psychotropic Convention.

✔ Psychotropic Sedatives / Hypnotics

• Benzodiazepines (some) — Diazepam, Alprazolam
• Barbiturates — Phenobarbitone, Secobarbital
• Meprobamate

✔ CNS Stimulants

• Amphetamines
• Methylphenidate

✔ Narcotic Analogues (non-NDPS)

• Ketamine
• Buprenorphine (certain formulations)

✔ Hallucinogens / Abusable agents

• LSD analogues
• MDMA-type compounds (if listed)

✔ Other Dependence-Prone Medicines

• Many anorectics, anxiolytics, hypnotics, dissociatives

⭐ FULL LIST OF SCHEDULE X DRUGS

(As per Drugs & Cosmetics Rules – standard list used in DI/GPAT exams)

A. Barbiturates

• Amobarbital
• Pentobarbital
• Secobarbital
• Phenobarbital (Phenobarbitone)

B. Benzodiazepines

• Alprazolam
• Diazepam
• Lorazepam
• Oxazepam
• Clonazepam

C. Amphetamines

• Dextroamphetamine
• Methamphetamine
• Methylphenidate

D. Hallucinogens

• LSD derivatives
• Mescaline analogues

E. Miscellaneous Abusable Drugs

• Ketamine
• Buprenorphine (some strengths)
• Meprobamate
• Methaqualone

🎯 MNEMONICS FOR SCHEDULE X

🔥 MASTER MNEMONIC – “SCHEDULE X = ‘X-TREME HIGH-RISK PSYCHOTROPICS’”

Breakdown:

X → X-treme

Extremely controlled — highest supervision.

🧠 MNEMONIC 1: “X-BAR-BEN-AMP-HAL”

Schedule X contains:

Part	Meaning	Drugs
BAR	Barbiturates	Secobarbital, Pentobarbital, Phenobarbital
BEN	Benzodiazepines	Alprazolam, Diazepam, Clonazepam
AMP	Amphetamines	Methamphetamine, Methylphenidate
HAL	Hallucinogens	LSD, Mescaline
X	Extra drugs	Ketamine, Buprenorphine

✔ Easy memory:

“X BAR BEN is an AMP HAL (Amplified Hallucinator)”

This captures all key groups.

🧠 MNEMONIC 2: “BAR-BEN-AMP-KET”

BAR – Barbiturates
BEN – Benzodiazepines
AMP – Amphetamines
KET – Ketamine

Sentence mnemonic:

“BAR BEN AMP KET—Schedule X is the most X-plosive set”

🧠 MNEMONIC 3 (For LEGAL RULES): “LOCK – DUPLICATE – TWO YEAR – LICENSE”

Memorize the four major conditions:

L O C K

✔ Locked cabinet
✔ Only with duplicate prescription
✔ Copy of prescription kept
✔ Keep record 2 years

🧠 MNEMONIC 4 (Difference from Schedule H1): “H1 → Antibiotics, X → Psychotropics”

H1 → Anti-TB + Anti-superbug drugs

X → eXtreme CNS drugs (addictive)

Easy formula:

**G = Guidance drugs

H = Handwritten prescription
H1 = Highly restricted antibiotics
X = eXtreme addictive psychotropics**

📘 COMPARISON: SCHEDULE H1 vs SCHEDULE X

(Important for Drug Inspector exams)

Feature	Schedule H1	Schedule X
Focus	Anti-TB + powerful antibiotics	Addictive psychotropic drugs
Record keeping	3 years	2 years
Sale	Prescription	Duplicate prescription
Storage	Normal cabinet	Locked cabinet
Label	Red box + warning	Red border + “Schedule X”
Abuse potential	Moderate risk	Very high abuse / dependence
License	Normal drug license	Special Schedule X license

⭐ Points to Learn EXACTLY as N.K. JAIN Writes

1. Schedule X drugs = “Habit-forming & psychotropic substances requiring highest level of control.”
2. Duplicate prescription mandatory.
3. Retain record for minimum 2 years.
4. Must be stored under lock & key.
5. Cannot be sold unless prescription is signed by the prescriber & countersigned if refilled.
6. Mostly includes substances listed under UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971).
7. Manufacturing requires special license (Form 3 / Rule 54).