Doctor Prescription Format India — Free Template + Samples (2026)

Free doctor prescription format for Indian clinics with ready-to-copy samples for fever, cold, hypertension and diabetes — plus a Word/PDF template and NMC-compliant layout.

Every Indian doctor and clinic needs a clean, NMC-compliant prescription format that a pharmacist can read at a glance. In this guide you get a free downloadable template plus four ready-to-copy sample prescriptions — fever, common cold, hypertension (BP) and type-2 diabetes — that you can adapt to your own clinic in minutes.

Quick jump: Free template · Fever sample · Cold sample · BP sample · Diabetes sample · Free online generator

Standard Indian doctor prescription format

A prescription is a legal medical document. The Indian Medical Council (now National Medical Commission) recommends that every prescription — paper or digital — carry these eight elements:

Clinic letterhead / logo — clinic name, address, contact.
Doctor's name, qualification & NMC registration number.
Patient's name, age and gender.
Date (DD/MM/YYYY).
Vitals — BP, Pulse, Temp, Weight (as relevant).
Chief complaint / diagnosis.
Rx — medicine name, strength, dose, frequency, duration, route.
Doctor's signature (or scanned/digital signature) + advice and next visit date.

Missing any of these can cause pharmacists to refuse dispensing (especially for Schedule H and H1 drugs) and weakens medico-legal protection. See our detailed post on whether e-prescriptions are legal in India for the full regulatory backdrop.

Free prescription template (copy-paste)

Copy this bare-bones template into Word, Google Docs or your EMR and add your clinic logo and details:

___________________________________________________________
[CLINIC LOGO]                                  Reg. No.: XXXX
CLINIC NAME
Address · Phone · Email · Website
___________________________________________________________
Dr. [Full Name], [Qualification]                NMC No.: XXXXXXXX
[Designation / Specialty]

Patient Name : ____________________     Date : __/__/____
Age / Gender : ____________________     Reg No.: ________

Vitals       : BP __/__ mmHg   Pulse __/min   Temp __ °F   Wt __ kg

Chief Complaint / Diagnosis :
____________________________________________________________

Rx
1) __________________________________  Dose | Freq | Duration
2) __________________________________  Dose | Freq | Duration
3) __________________________________  Dose | Freq | Duration

Advice :
____________________________________________________________
Next Visit : __/__/____

                                          _____________________
                                          Dr. [Full Name]
                                          Signature & Seal

Standard frequency abbreviations to use: OD (once daily), BD (twice daily), TDS (three times daily), QID (four times daily), HS (at bedtime), SOS (as needed), AC (before food), PC (after food), STAT (immediately).

Sample 1 — Fever with body ache (viral fever)

Patient: Ramesh Sharma, 32 Y / Male | Date: 24/05/2026

Vitals: BP 118/78 mmHg · Pulse 92/min · Temp 101.4 °F · Wt 68 kg

Chief Complaint: Fever with body ache × 2 days, mild sore throat.

Diagnosis: Acute viral febrile illness.

Tab. Paracetamol 650 mg — 1 tab — TDS × 5 days — PC (after food)
Tab. Cetirizine 10 mg — 1 tab — HS × 5 days
Cap. Vitamin C 500 mg — 1 cap — OD × 7 days
Syp. Lactocalamine ORS — 1 sachet in 1 L water, sip through the day × 3 days

Advice: Bed rest, plenty of fluids, tepid sponging if temp > 102 °F, avoid cold food/drinks. Review if fever persists > 3 days.

Next Visit: 27/05/2026 (or SOS)

Sample 2 — Common cold with cough (acute rhinitis)

Patient: Priya Verma, 28 Y / Female | Date: 24/05/2026

Vitals: BP 110/72 mmHg · Pulse 80/min · Temp 99.2 °F · Wt 56 kg

Chief Complaint: Runny nose, sneezing, mild cough × 3 days.

Diagnosis: Acute rhinitis with post-nasal drip.

Tab. Levocetirizine 5 mg + Montelukast 10 mg — 1 tab — HS × 5 days
Tab. Paracetamol 500 mg — 1 tab — SOS (for headache/fever)
Syp. Chericof (Chlorpheniramine + Dextromethorphan) — 10 ml — TDS × 5 days
Steam inhalation with plain water — BD × 5 days
Nasal saline drops (Nasoclear) — 2 drops each nostril — QID × 5 days

Advice: Warm fluids, saline gargles, avoid AC and cold drinks. Return if cough turns productive or fever appears.

Next Visit: SOS

Sample 3 — Hypertension (newly diagnosed stage-1 BP)

Patient: Suresh Menon, 52 Y / Male | Date: 24/05/2026

Vitals: BP 148/94 mmHg (avg of 3 readings) · Pulse 84/min · Wt 78 kg · BMI 27.3

Chief Complaint: Occasional headache, giddiness × 2 weeks. Family h/o HTN.

Diagnosis: Essential Hypertension — Stage 1 (JNC 8).

Tab. Telmisartan 40 mg — 1 tab — OD in the morning × 30 days
Tab. Aspirin 75 mg — 1 tab — OD after dinner × 30 days (if no bleeding risk)
Cap. Rosuvastatin 10 mg — 1 cap — HS × 30 days (borderline lipids)

Investigations advised: Lipid profile, KFT, RBS, ECG, Urine routine, HbA1c.

Advice: Reduce salt to < 5 g/day, DASH diet, 30 min brisk walk 5 days/week, weight reduction 5 kg in 3 months, home BP monitoring twice weekly, no smoking/alcohol.

Next Visit: 24/06/2026 (with reports)

Sample 4 — Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (newly diagnosed)

Patient: Anita Iyer, 46 Y / Female | Date: 24/05/2026

Vitals: BP 128/82 mmHg · Pulse 78/min · Wt 74 kg · BMI 29.1 · FBS 168 mg/dL · PPBS 262 mg/dL · HbA1c 8.4%

Chief Complaint: Polyuria, polydipsia, fatigue × 1 month. No h/o DKA symptoms.

Diagnosis: Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus — newly detected, uncontrolled.

Tab. Metformin 500 mg — 1 tab — BD (after breakfast & dinner) × 30 days
Tab. Glimepiride 1 mg — 1 tab — OD before breakfast × 30 days
Cap. Methylcobalamin 1500 mcg — 1 cap — OD × 30 days
Tab. Telmisartan 40 mg — 1 tab — OD (if BP stays > 140/90 on next visit)

Investigations advised: Fasting lipid profile, KFT, LFT, Urine microalbumin, ECG, Fundus examination (retinopathy screen), Foot examination.

Advice: Diabetic diet — carb-controlled 1600 kcal/day, split into 3 meals + 2 snacks. 30-min brisk walk daily. SMBG (self-monitored blood glucose) fasting & 2-hr PP twice a week. Watch for hypoglycaemia symptoms. Foot care — no barefoot walking.

Next Visit: 15/06/2026 (with SMBG chart & reports); HbA1c repeat after 3 months.

Common mistakes to avoid on Indian prescriptions

No NMC number — pharmacies can refuse Schedule H drugs.
Illegible handwriting — a leading cause of medication error in India. Prefer typed / printed prescriptions.
Missing frequency and duration — writing "Amoxicillin 500 mg" without dose interval or number of days is incomplete.
No allergy check documented — always record "NKDA" (No Known Drug Allergies) or the actual allergy.
Mixing generic and brand names inconsistently — the NMC 2023 regulations encourage generic prescribing wherever possible.
No date or an old date — Schedule H1 refills need a fresh prescription every visit.

Prescription format for teleconsultation

For online/video consultations, the same 8-section format applies, plus:

A note that the consultation was carried out via video / audio / text (with patient consent).
Doctor's typed name or scanned signature is legally sufficient — no wet-ink required.
Share as PDF via WhatsApp, email or patient portal. Retain a copy for 3 years (5 years for Schedule H1).

Full compliance walkthrough: Is e-prescription legal in India? (2026 NMC + Telemedicine Guidelines).

Generate your own prescription in 2 minutes (free)

Don't want to design a template from scratch? Use SmartClinic India's free online prescription generator — enter clinic details, doctor name, patient info and medicines, and download a professionally formatted PDF instantly. No sign-up required.

For running a full clinic with saved patient records, dosage auto-fill, drug interaction alerts and WhatsApp-share, SmartClinic India's OPD software uses the exact same NMC-compliant format on every prescription.

FAQ

What is the standard prescription format used in India?

An Indian prescription typically has a clinic letterhead, doctor's name with NMC number, patient details, date, vitals, diagnosis, Rx list of medicines with dose-frequency-duration, and the doctor's signature with advice and next visit date.

Can I write a prescription in English on a plain paper?

Yes. There is no legal requirement for a printed letterhead — plain paper with all mandatory elements (doctor's NMC number, signature, date, patient details, medicines) is valid, but a printed letterhead is strongly recommended for medico-legal clarity.

What does OD, BD, TDS, SOS mean on a prescription?

OD = once a day, BD = twice a day, TDS = three times a day, QID = four times a day, HS = at bedtime, SOS = as needed, AC = before food, PC = after food, STAT = immediately.

Is it mandatory to write generic drug names on prescriptions in India?

The NMC Registered Medical Practitioner Regulations 2023 strongly recommend generic prescribing wherever possible, especially in government facilities. In private practice, brand names are allowed but a generic-first approach is considered best practice.

How long should I keep a copy of the prescription?

Minimum 3 years for regular prescriptions, 5 years for Schedule H1 drugs, and permanently in your EMR is best practice for medico-legal protection.

Disclaimer: Sample prescriptions above are illustrative only. Actual prescribing must be individualised by a Registered Medical Practitioner after clinical evaluation. This article does not constitute medical advice.

Doctor Prescription Format India — Free Template + Samples (Fever, Cold, BP, Diabetes)