Bureau of Indian Standardsrds (BIS), the National Standards Body (NSB) of India, functioning under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Govt. of India for harmonious development of the activities of standardization, conformity assessment and quality assurance of goods, articles, processes, systems and services. Major activities of BIS includes,
- Formulation of Indian Standards
- Certification: Product, Hallmarking and Management Systems
- Foreign Manufacturers’ Certification Scheme
- Registration Scheme for Electronic and Information Technology Goods
- Testing & Calibration Services
- Training Services
- Technical Information Services including WTO-TBT Enquiry Point
Standard development activities:
BIS is engaged in formulating Indian Standards in various technology areas and service sectors other than drugs and pharmaceuticals under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 by a process of consultation involving consumers, manufacturers, Government and regulatory bodies, technologists, scientists and testing laboratories through duly constituted committees.
For formulation of Indian Standards, BIS functions through the Technical Committee structure comprising of Sectional Committees, Subcommittees and Panels set up for dealing with specific group of subjects under respective Division Councils. BIS has over 650 Technical Committees under 16 Division Councils and so far developed over 19000 Indian Standards.
The Indian Standards are priced and may be purchased from BIS sales offices or through E-sale portal:-http://www.standardsbis.in/. All indegenoosly developed standards are free to download after registering on the sales website.
BIS, being a signatory to the 'Code of Good Practice for the preparation, adoption and application of standards (Article 4 of WTO-TBT Agreement, Annex 3)'.has harmonized its standards formulation procedure with the relevant guidelines as laid down by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). BIS has been actively participating in the activities of ISO and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). A sizeable number of Indian Standards have been harmonised with ISO/IEC Standards to facilitate acceptance of Indian products in the International Market.
BIS does not make Technical Regulations. However, there are technical regulations which make compliance to BIS standards mandatory. Technical regulations are issued by various departments under different ministries of Government of India or by different regulators empowered under different states.
Key contact persons: Heads of Standardization Divisions
Conformity Assessment activities:
BIS is operating different schemes for conformity assessment of products including Hallmarking of gold and silver jewellery and artefacts.
Product Certification Scheme of BIS (Scheme 1) aims at providing Third Party assurance of quality, safety and reliability of products to the customer. The presence of BIS Certification Mark, known as Standard Mark, on a product is an assurance of conformity to respective Indian Standards. Although, the scheme itself is voluntary in nature, the Government of India, on considerations of public health and safety, security, infrastructure requirements and mass consumption has enforced mandatory certification on various products through Orders issued from time to time under various Acts. Details of the Scheme 1 can be accessed here
To support the product certification scheme, which requires testing of products on regular basis for checking conformity to the relevant Indian Standards, BIS has established a network of laboratories. For list of laboratories click here
Management Systems Certification: In line with global developments, BIS has introduced different schemes for conformity assessment of management systems based on International and National Standards. The Schemes currently being offered and the certification process can be accessed here.
BIS is operating Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) for Electronics & IT Goods for the product categories notified by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) for Solar Photovoltaic Systems,Devices and components. Click here for list of product categories. Registration Department located in BIS Head Quarters at New Delhi is granting Registration under Compulsory Registration Scheme. For further information about CRS click here.
The training arm of BIS, known as National Institute of Training for Standardization (NITS) imparts training to various stakeholders including participants from different developing countries in the field of standardization, quality and conformity assessment.
BIS is actively involved in the Regional and Bilateral Cooperation Programmes pertaining to standardization, testing, certification, training etc. Accordingly BIS has entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with NSBs of many countries. For details click MOUs and MRAs
Mandatory Product Certification
The Bureau of Indian Standards, empowered through an Act of the Indian Parliament, known as the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, operates a product certification scheme by which it grants licences to manufacturers covering practically every industrial discipline from Agriculture to Textiles to Electronics in accordance with BIS Rules, 2018 and Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 under the Act. The Act, Rules & Regulations can be accessed here.
Though the BIS product certification scheme is essentially voluntary in nature, Government of India, in public interest (for example public health and safety, security, infrastructure requirements, deceptive trade practices) has enforced mandatory certification on various products through various Quality Control Orders issued from time to time under various Acts.
The mandatory certification is enforced by placing the Products either under Scheme 1 (Full product certification) or Scheme 2 (CRS). For products under Scheme 1 click here. For Products under Scheme 2 click here
Under separate arrangements with Statutory agencies, some products have been placed under special certification schemes of lot or batch inspection carried out by BIS Inspecting officers. A majority of Gas cylinders, regulators and valves are certified through such schemes.
BIS operates the certification scheme through a network of 34 Branch Offices (BO) set up in different State capitals or major industrial towns and 5 Regional Offices (RO) overseeing the work of the Branch offices. Moreover, apart from setting eight laboratories throughout India for testing samples to check their conformity against the relevant Indian Standard, BIS has recognized number of independent laboratories having demonstrated ability and a management system complying with IS/ISO/IEC 17025 for testing of samples.
Processes for Grant of Licence (Scheme 1):
Under the product certification scheme 1, the licence is granted to the applicant for the varieties of product covered under a given Indian Standard, if he has the capability to manufacture and test the product at the specified location and the sample drawn for testing in independent laboratory conforms to the relevant Indian Standard. Applicant is also required to agree to operate the prescribed Scheme of Inspection and Testing (STI) and pay the Marking Fee as given in Schedule II of the BIS (conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 during the course of operation of licence.
Click to see Detailed Guidelines related to the certification procedure
BIS has established two procedures for grant of licence under Scheme 1:
Normal Procedure – In this procedure, grant of licence is considered provided the preliminary inspection is found to be satisfactory, samples drawn during this inspection are found to be conforming and the applicant agrees to implement the defined scheme of testing and inspection and pay the prescribed marking fee.
A manufacturer desirous to obtain a licence shall apply in the prescribed Application form (Form V given in the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 ). The form along with application fee of Rs 1000 is required to be submitted online to the Branch Office under whose jurisdiction the manufacturing unit is located. The additional documents that are required to be submitted with the application, shall be as per the: Guidelines for Grant of Licence (GoL) as per the conformity assessment Scheme – I of Schedule – II of BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 . If the application is found complete in all respects, it is recorded and assigned an application number which is conveyed to the applicant for future reference.
A Preliminary inspection of the unit is carried out by BIS on a mutually agreed date, within 15 days of recording of application to check and evaluate the firm's manufacturing capability and controls, quality control techniques, availability of testing facilities and the technical skills of the personnel during which samples of products are tested in the factory laboratory and also drawn for testing in laboratories specified for the product.
Simplified Procedure – In this procedure, the applicant is required to submit test report(s) from specified laboratories along with the application. Grant of licence is considered provided the verification visit is found to be satisfactory and the applicant agrees to implement the defined scheme of testing and inspection and pay the prescribed marking fee. Sample(s) is (are) drawn during the verification visit for independent testing, but the conformity of this sample does not form a pre-condition for grant of licence.
- Products such as cylinders, valves, regulators, cement, etc., where a joint inspection or approval is required from another statutory authority;
- Products for which licence is granted on the basis of factory testing;
- Products (Indian Standards) for which no licence has been granted before
- Packaged Drinking Water (PDW) and Packaged Natural Mineral Water(PNMW).
However, the test result is used for review purpose.Simplified procedure is applicable for GOL for all the products except for the following:
The detailed steps for the simplified procedure are given in the Option 2 of the Guidelines for Grant of Licence (GoL) as per the conformity assessment Scheme – I of Schedule – II of BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
The application form with test report(s) along with prescribed documents and requisite fee is required to be submitted to the Branch Office under whose jurisdiction the manufacturing unit is located. Click here for locating relevant branch office. One application should be submitted for one product and for one manufacturing location.
Key contact Person: Click here to know the details of the Key person in respective branch office
Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS)
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is operating the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) under BIS Act, 2016 and Rules & Regulations framed there under. The Scheme is applicable for grant of licence for all products except products covered under the Compulsory Registration Scheme
Under FMCS, licence is granted to a Foreign Manufacturer for use of Standard Mark on a product that conforms to an Indian Standard. The standards may be under mandatory or voluntary certification. Click here to locate your standards. Click here for list of items under mandatory certification.
The manufacturers, having their factory location outside India can apply under FMCS. They shall ensure conformity of their product(s) to applicable Indian Standard Specifications and
- have all machineries/facilities for manufacturing the product at their factory premises.
- have all arrangements/equipments and competent testing personnel in their factory premises for testing of the product(s) as per applicable Indian Standards.
- accept the Scheme of Inspection and Testing (SIT), Marking Fee and Terms & Conditions of licence
Process of Application/ granting Licence:
Key Contact person: Click to know the details of the key person related to FSMS
Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS)
Products notified to be placed under Compulsory Registration Order by Government of India are required to be registered under this Scheme, which is based on Self Declaration of Conformity. Manufacturers of these products are required to apply for registration from BIS after getting their product tested from one of the BIS recognized labs in India.
Registration process:
- An applicant must create a login at the Registration Portal https://www.crsbis.in/BIS by uploading Business License in English that should indicate the scope of registration and name and address of manufacturing facility
- He should select a recognized laboratory from the BIS website for the relevant Indian Standard, and generate a test request for submission of sample.
- The applicant should submit a representative sample of the type / model of the product he wishes to place in the market to the selected laboratory
- On receipt of the test report, the applicant should confirm that the sample is conforming to all requirements of the Indian Standard and apply within 90 days of receipt on the BIS Portal by uploading the report and an undertaking of conformance to the Indian Standard.
- For details of the complete online registration procedure click here
- The Scheme details can also be read from the CRS brochure