Schedule X Drugs List (16 Drugs): XRx Label, Licence, Prescription and Register Rules
By the Trumac Healthcare team, Panchkula · PCD pharma franchise company since 2007 · Updated 14 November 2026 · About us · WhatsApp +91 90416 77932
Schedule X of the Drugs Rules, 1945 is the tightest prescription schedule in India. It names 16 substances with high potential for abuse – barbiturates, stimulants, hypnotics and ketamine. They are sold only on a prescription in duplicate, stored under lock and key, recorded in a special register, and need a separate licence (Form 20F / 20G). All 16 are also psychotropic substances under the NDPS Act.
Schedule X drugs list (all 16)
| No. | Substance | Class |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amobarbital | Barbiturate |
| 2 | Amphetamine | CNS stimulant |
| 3 | Barbital | Barbiturate |
| 4 | Cyclobarbital | Barbiturate |
| 5 | Dexamphetamine | CNS stimulant |
| 6 | Ethchlorvynol (printed “Ethclorvynol”) | Non-barbiturate hypnotic |
| 7 | Glutethimide | Non-barbiturate hypnotic |
| 8 | Ketamine hydrochloride (added 7 Nov 2013) | Dissociative anaesthetic |
| 9 | Meprobamate | Anxiolytic |
| 10 | Methamphetamine | CNS stimulant |
| 11 | Methylphenidate | CNS stimulant |
| 12 | Methylphenobarbital | Barbiturate |
| 13 | Pentobarbital | Barbiturate |
| 14 | Phencyclidine | Dissociative anaesthetic |
| 15 | Phenmetrazine (printed “Phenometrazine”) | CNS stimulant |
| 16 | Secobarbital | Barbiturate |
Schedule X was inserted in 1982; ketamine hydrochloride is the only addition since (2013). Preparations of meprobamate in combination may be exempted by the central licensing authority on evidence that they are not liable to misuse.
Schedule X label (XRx)
The label carries XRx in red at the top left and, in a completely red rectangular box:
This format comes from G.S.R. 408(E) of 26 April 2018 and has been mandatory since April 2019. Packs are limited to 100 unit doses (tablets or capsules), 300 ml (oral liquids) or 5 ml (injections); hospital packs supplied directly to hospitals are exempt.
Rules for chemists and distributors
- Licence: retail sale needs Form 20F (granted to a pharmacy) and wholesale needs Form 20G, applied for in Form 19C – an ordinary drug licence does not cover Schedule X. See the medical store licence guide for the ordinary forms.
- Prescription: issued in duplicate by a Registered Medical Practitioner; the chemist keeps one copy for two years and dispenses only once unless the prescriber says otherwise.
- Storage: under lock and key in a cupboard or drawer reserved for these drugs, or in a restricted part of the premises.
- Supply by a pharmacist: a registered pharmacist must make or personally supervise the supply.
- No substitution: no other preparation may be supplied in place of the one prescribed.
- NDPS: all 16 substances are also NDPS psychotropics, so NDPS licensing and penalties apply on top of the Drugs and Cosmetics rules.
Schedule X register format
Every supply is entered at the time of supply in a bound, serially page-numbered register with a separate page for each drug, with these columns:
- Date of transaction
- Quantity received, with the supplier’s name, address and licence number
- Name of the drug
- Quantity supplied
- Manufacturer’s name
- Batch or lot number
- Name and address of the patient or purchaser
- Reference number of the prescription
- Bill number and date
- Signature of the person who supervised the supply
Schedule H vs H1 vs X
| Schedule H | Schedule H1 | Schedule X | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | Rx | Rx in red + H1 warning box | XRx in red |
| Prescription | Yes | Yes | Yes – in duplicate, one copy kept 2 years |
| Records | Prescription register or cash/credit memo | Separate H1 register, kept 3 years | Bound register, a page per drug |
| Storage | Normal | Normal | Lock and key |
| Licence | Forms 20/21 (retail), 20B/21B (wholesale) | Same as Schedule H | Form 20F (retail), 20G (wholesale) |
More detail: Schedule H drugs · Schedule H1 drug list (pregabalin from 16 November 2026).
Sources: Drugs Rules, 1945 – Schedule X, Rules 65, 97, 105A as compiled by CDSCO (amended to 2024); G.S.R. 462(E) 1982; G.S.R. 724(E) 2013; G.S.R. 408(E) 2018; summary checked against Laafon Galaxy’s Schedule X reference (reviewed October 2026). Updated 14 November 2026. Business summary, not legal or medical advice.
Related guides: Schedule G drugs list · Schedule H drugs · Schedule H1 list · Revised Schedule M (GMP) · drug licence guide
Frequently asked questions
How many drugs are in Schedule X?
Sixteen substances: six barbiturates, five CNS stimulants, two non-barbiturate hypnotics, two dissociative anaesthetics (including ketamine) and one anxiolytic (meprobamate). Their salts, stereoisomers and preparations are covered too.
Is methylphenidate a Schedule X drug?
Yes. Methylphenidate is in Schedule X, so it needs a prescription in duplicate, lock-and-key storage, a Schedule X register and a Form 20F licence at the pharmacy.
Is ketamine a Schedule X drug?
Yes. Ketamine hydrochloride was moved from Schedule H to Schedule X on 7 November 2013 and is also a psychotropic substance under the NDPS Act.
Which licence is needed to sell Schedule X drugs?
A separate licence: Form 20F for retail (granted to a pharmacy) or Form 20G for wholesale, applied for in Form 19C. An ordinary Form 20/21 or 20B/21B licence does not cover Schedule X.
What is XRx on a medicine label?
XRx in red at the top left marks a Schedule X drug. NRx marks a Schedule H drug that is also under the NDPS Act, and plain Rx marks a Schedule H drug.
How long must a Schedule X prescription be kept?
The prescription is issued in duplicate and the chemist keeps one copy for two years.
Is Schedule X the same as the NDPS list?
No. They are separate laws, but all 16 Schedule X substances are also psychotropic substances under the NDPS Act, 1985, so both sets of rules apply.
Trumac Healthcare is a PCD pharma franchise company in Panchkula supplying 3000+ products to licensed partners since 2007. Related: PCD pharma franchise · wholesale supply · GST on medicines.