New Delhi, March 26 -- Small pharma companies can file an online application if they want to take one more year to comply with global good manufacturing practices (GMPs), the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) said.

The application has to be submitted through the Online National Drugs Licensing System (ONDLS) portal as no hard copy application will be considered by the Central Licensing Authority.

The government this year extended the timeline for GMP compliance to 31 December, as the previous deadline ended last December. The decision was taken as most of the drug companies could not upgrade their plants to World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

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