New Delhi, Mar 13 (KNN) India has prioritised the formulation, revision, and updating of Indian Standards across various ministries and sectors, with approximately 23,000 standards currently in force.
Compliance with certain standards has been made mandatory through Quality Control Orders (QCOs), which are notified by concerned regulators and line ministries based on considerations including public interest, protection of health and safety, environmental protection, prevention of unfair trade practices, and national security.
To date, 187 Quality Control Orders covering 769 products have been issued for compulsory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification. The complete list of these products is available on the BIS website.
Additionally, two significant horizontal QCOs have been implemented including, the Safety of Household, Commercial and Similar Electrical Appliances Order (2024), issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, and the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety Order (2024), issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
The first horizontal order mandates BIS certification for all electrical appliances intended for household or commercial use with voltage ratings not exceeding 250V single phase or 415V three phase alternating current, provided they do not fall under other specific QCOs.
The second order brings 20 categories of machinery, electrical equipment, and their sub-assemblies under compulsory BIS certification.
Products are brought under mandatory quality control based on the requirements of line ministries and departments as needs arise.
These ministries and departments, in consultation with BIS, publish QCOs under powers conferred by the BIS Act of 2016, thereby mandating BIS certification for specified products.
Of the 22,689 Indian standards currently in force, corresponding international ISO/IEC standards exist for 10,300 of them. Notably, 9,616 Indian standards, representing 93.3 per cent of those with international counterparts, have been harmonised with existing ISO/IEC standards, demonstrating India’s commitment to global standardisation.
This information was provided by B.L. Verma, Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.
(KNN Bureau)
