1. The BIS Act – Enabling USE of standards in technical regulations
Session 3 –Working together; cooperation between standards bodies and regulators
The BIS Act – Enabling USE of standards in technical regulations
J. Roy Chowdhury
Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS)

2. Indian Standards Institution 1947
Genesis
Indian Standards Institution 1947
BIS Act 1986
BIS Act 2016

3. Provisions on BIS activities
BIS Act 2016 establishes BIS as a National Standards Body of India for
Harmonious Development of activities of standardization
Conformity Assessment of goods, articles, processes, systems and services
Provision to notify different conformity assessment schemes
Provision for grant of licence or certificate of conformity, as applicable, for goods, articles, process, system or service

4. Enabling Regulatory Provisions
Provision to notify any goods or articles, process, system or service for compulsory compliance to a standard or essential requirements and direct the use of the Certification Mark on account of:
Public Interest
Protection of human, animal or plant health
Protection of environment
Prevention of unfair trade practices
National security
Restricts manufacture, import, distribution & sale of regulated products & services without a certification mark, except under a valid licence

5. Surveillance & enforcement provisions
Provisions for inspection & drawl of samples with certification mark to check conformity to the requirements of the relevant standard
Enabling provision for product recall & compensation to the consumer
Violation of Compulsory certification provisions made a cognizable offence

6. Some examples of technical regulations under BIS Act
Product Category
QC Order
Ministry
Steel and Steel Products
Quality Control Order, 2018
Ministry of Steel
Electrical Appliances
Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003
DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Cement
Cement (Quality Control)
Order, 2003
Cylinder Valves & Regulators
Gas Cylinder Rules, 2004
Automotive tyres
Pneumatic Tyres and Tubes for Automotive Vehicles (Quality Control) Order, 2009
Electronic & IT Products
Compulsory Registration Order, 2012
(Mobiles, Mobile batteries, laptops etc. )
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology

7. Regulations in process under BIS Act 2016
Product
Regulator
Medical Devices
Department of Pharmaceuticals (MoCF)
Heavy Duty Electrical Cables
DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Protective Helmet
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Plugs and Socket Outlets
Prepaid energy meters & Smart Meter
Air-Conditioner and its Parts
Toys
LPG stoves & Domestic pressure cooker

8. Engagement with Regulator
Identifying standards/ prioritizing standardization needs to support technical regulation
Proposing the need for technical regulations in new areas
Interaction on Quality Infrastructure needs
Contribute in stakeholder consultation on regulations
Identifying conformity assessment scheme commensurate with the risk associated

9. Challenges Acknowledging domain expertise of NSB in standardization
Involvement of regulators in standard development
Implementation & enforcement issues