The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), as India's national
standards body, is responsible for maintaining the quality, safety,
and reliability of products and services in India. Through the BIS
(Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018, BIS formalized ten
distinct conformity assessment schemes, each aimed at facilitating
compliance with Indian Standards (IS) across various sectors. These
schemes not only protect consumer interests but also support
India's regulatory framework and export market
competitiveness.
In this article, we shall dive into an in-depth analysis of each
scheme, its legal scope, and significant updates.
Conformity Assessment by BIS
In a wider sense, different schemes of BIS are as follows:
- Domestic Manufacturer Certification Scheme;
- Foreign Manufacturer Certification Scheme;
- Compulsory Registration Scheme;
- BIS Hallmarking Scheme; and
- Eco Mark Scheme.
However, the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment)
Regulations, 2018, along with its subsequent amendments, lay down
ten different kinds of conformity assessment schemes that align
with specific types of goods and articles.
Schedule I of the said regulations provides a layout of different
types of conformity assessment schemes and their respective types
of goods and articles, whereas Schedule II lays down each
conformity assessment scheme in detail.
An application for grant of licence to use or apply a Standard Mark
shall be made to the Bureau in the form and manner specified in the
applicable Scheme in Schedule-II. It further specifies the
processes involved in grant of licence, conditions of licence,
provisions pertaining to validity, renewal, and cancellation of
licence, etc.
Let's go over each scheme through a birds-eye view.
Ten different Conformity Assessment Schemes
Scheme I
Conformity assessment scheme for grant of licence to use or apply
Standard Mark on goods and articles as per Indian Standard.
Applicable Standard Mark:
It is the product certification scheme which covers maximum number
of daily use as well as industrial products. At present. 174
Quality Control Orders (QCOs) have been issued under Scheme I of
BIS, covering 688+ products.
Examples include copper products, hinges, stainless steel utensils,
chemicals, textile products, pneumatic tyres, etc.
Scheme II
Conformity assessment scheme for grant of licence to use or apply
Standard Mark through registration based on self-declaration of
conformity for goods and articles as per Indian Standard.
Applicable Standard Mark:
It is the Registration Scheme of BIS. At present, 6 QCOs have been
issued under this scheme covering 73+ products.
Examples include Electronics & IT goods such as laptops,
electronic video games, along with cotton bales, solar
photovoltaics, etc.
Scheme III
Conformity assessment scheme for grant of licence to use Standard
Mark or certificate of
conformity for management system as per Indian Standard.
Applicable Standard Mark:
Scheme IV
Conformity assessment scheme for Grant of certificate of conformity
for goods and articles as per any standard.
Scheme V
Conformity assessment scheme for grant of certificate of conformity
for a batch or lot of goods and articles as per any standard.
Scheme VI
Conformity assessment scheme for grant of certificate of conformity
for services as per any standard.
Scheme VII
Conformity assessment scheme for grant of certificate of conformity
for type approval of goods and articles.
Scheme VIII
Conformity assessment scheme for grant of licence or certificate of
conformity for process as per Standard(s).
This scheme was introduced under Bureau of Indian Standards
(Conformity Assessment) Amendment Regulations, 2020 vide a
notification by BIS dated 21 February 2020.
Scheme IX
Conformity Assessment Scheme for grant of licence to use or apply
Standard Mark for goods and articles conforming to Indian Standard
combined with conformity of management system to Indian Standard
and conformity of process requirements, as specified.
This scheme was introduced under Bureau of Indian Standards
(Conformity Assessment) (Sixth Amendment) Regulations, 2021 vide a
notification by BIS dated 8 December 2021.
Scheme X
Conformity assessment scheme for grant of licence to use or apply
Standard Mark for goods and articles as per the specified
requirements.
This scheme was introduced under Bureau of Indian Standards
(Conformity Assessment) Amendment Regulations, 2022 vide a
notification by BIS dated 16 March 2022.
At present, 2 QCOs have been issued under this Scheme by the
Ministry of Heavy Industries for various kinds of electrical
equipment and machinery.
LKS Comments
The ten conformity assessment schemes under the BIS Conformity
Assessment Regulations form the foundation of India's quality
and standards regulatory landscape. By systematically categorizing
certification schemes based on product types and sectors, BIS not
only facilitates compliance but also promotes a culture of quality
assurance in Indian industries.
For manufacturers and businesses, understanding the specific requirements and legal mandates of each scheme is essential for both regulatory compliance and market credibility.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.