Bureau of Indian Standards: The Body Behind the ISI Mark

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is India’s national standards body. It writes Indian Standards. It also checks that products meet them. The mark on a cement bag or a motorcycle helmet comes from BIS.

1.1 What does BIS actually do?

BIS describes its own work in seven parts.

• It develops and publishes Indian Standards.
• It runs conformity assessment schemes.
• It recognises and runs laboratories for conformity assessment.
• It implements hallmarking.
• It works for consumer empowerment.
• It runs capacity-building programmes on quality assurance.
• It represents India in ISO and IEC.

An Indian Standard is a standard that BIS publishes. It sets out the quality and specification of goods, articles, processes, systems or services. Conformity assessment means showing that stated requirements are met.

1.2 Who owns BIS, and where is it based?

BIS works under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. Its headquarters is Manak Bhawan, 9 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi.

BIS is set up by law. Section 3 of the 2016 Act makes it a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal. That means it can own property, sign contracts, and sue or be sued in its own name.

1.3 Why do people still say “ISI mark”?

The Standard Mark is “popularly known as ISI mark”. The name comes from the older body, the Indian Standards Institution (ISI).

Before BIS grants a licence, it checks the maker’s infrastructure and testing ability. It also tests samples from the production line and from the market.

Misconception: the ISI mark is not a different mark from the BIS Standard Mark. It is the popular name for the same mark.

BIS did not start in 1987. It grew out of an older body that was announced during British rule. Follow the four dates below and the story is easy to remember.

2.1 How did the Indian Standards Institution begin?

The Institution of Engineers (India) prepared the first draft of a constitution for a standards body. The Department of Industries and Supplies then issued a memorandum on 3 September 1946. It formally announced the Indian Standards Institution.

ISI came into being on 6 January 1947. Dr Lal C. Verman took over as its first Director in June 1947. ISI was a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

2.2 When did ISI start putting its mark on goods?

ISI first worked on writing standards. To help ordinary buyers, it began a Certification Marks Scheme under the Indian Standards Institution (Certification Marks) Act, 1952.

The scheme was formally launched in 1955-56. It let ISI license makers to put the ISI mark on goods that met Indian Standards. A laboratory nucleus began in 1963.

Standard-making itself was not covered by any law at that time. That gap led to a Bill in Parliament in 1986.

2.3 How did ISI turn into BIS?

BIS came into existence on 1 April 1987. It was created by an Act of Parliament dated 26 November 1986. BIS took over the staff, assets, liabilities and functions of ISI.

The new body had a broader scope and more powers. The Government wanted a quality culture and more consumer voice in making standards.

2.4 What did the 2016 Act change?

The Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 (Act 11 of 2016) got the President’s assent on 21 March 2016. It covers standardisation, conformity assessment and quality assurance of goods, articles, processes, systems and services.

Section 43 of the 2016 Act repeals the 1986 Act. Actions taken under the old Act are treated as taken under the new one, where they are not inconsistent with it.

The Central Government brought the 2016 Act into force on 12 October 2017. It used notification S.O. 3295(E) of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

BIS runs three well-known marking systems. They look alike to a shopper. They work in different ways. Exams love to mix them up.

3.1 How does the ISI mark scheme work?

The ISI mark runs under Scheme I. A maker applies for a licence to use the Standard Mark. The Director General of BIS may grant a licence or a certificate of conformity by order.

BIS says its certification scheme is “basically voluntary in nature”. A maker may choose to take it. The Central Government can make it compulsory for some products.

3.2 What is the CRS mark?

The Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) runs under Scheme II of Schedule II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. It works by self-declaration. The maker declares that the product meets the Indian Standard.

BIS then registers the maker and gives a unique R-number. The product carries the Standard Mark with that number.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued the first order on 3 October 2012. It covered fifteen categories of electronics items.

Other ministries also issue CRS orders. The CRS page names the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and the Ministry of Textiles.

3.3 What is a hallmark?

The Act defines a Hallmark as a Standard Mark that shows how much precious metal an article holds. The measure is the relevant Indian Standard. The Act’s definition of Standard Mark includes the Hallmark.

3.4 How do the three compare?

3.5 How is AGMARK different from a BIS mark?

AGMARK is a quality certification mark for farm produce. The Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) lists it. DMI is an attached office under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The legal backing is the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937, as amended in 1986. AGMARK is not issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Most BIS certification is a choice. The Government can still turn it into a rule for a product. That is how a cement bag or a helmet ends up with a mandatory mark.

4.1 Who can make the mark compulsory?

Under section 16, the Central Government can do it, after consulting BIS. It acts by an order published in the Official Gazette. The Act lists the reasons.

• Public interest.
• Protection of human, animal or plant health.
• Safety of the environment.
• Prevention of unfair trade practices.
• National security.

BIS calls these orders Quality Control Orders (QCOs). A QCO tells makers to use the Standard Mark under a licence or a certificate of conformity.

4.2 Which products are on the compulsory list?

The BIS Scheme I page lists many products with their orders. A few familiar ones, as seen on 8 October 2026:

• Cement, under the Cement (Quality Control) Order, 2003, S.O. 191(E) dated 17 February 2003.
• Pneumatic tyres and tubes for automotive vehicles, under a Quality Control Order of 2009, S.O. 2953(E) dated 19 November 2009.
• Helmets for riders of two-wheeler motor vehicles, under a Quality Control Order of 2020.
• Domestic pressure cookers.
• Valve fittings for LPG cylinders (IS 8737 and IS 8776).

4.3 Are milk powder and packaged drinking water still compulsory?

No. The BIS Scheme I page marks milk powder and condensed milk “De-notified from compulsory BIS certification”. It gives the same label to packaged drinking water other than packaged natural mineral water.

An older version of this lesson listed them as compulsory. The Government can remove a product from the list as well as add one. Always check the current list.

4.4 What happens if someone misuses a mark?

A recognised centre may not mark a notified article that does not meet the standard. An unrecognised centre may not apply the Standard Mark or the Hallmark to notified goods.

Breaking these rules can bring up to one year in prison. The other penalty is a fine of at least Rs 1 lakh, up to five times the value of the goods. A court can order both.

Take a familiar case. A buyer picks a gold ring at a local jeweller. The hallmark on it is a promise, backed by BIS, about the purity of the gold.

5.1 What is hallmarking, and since when?

Hallmarking is the accurate determination and official recording of the proportion of precious metal in an article. The hallmark is an official guarantee of purity or fineness.

BIS began hallmarking gold jewellery in April 2000. It launched the scheme for silver in October 2005. The RBI’s Standing Committee on Gold and Precious Metals named BIS in 2000 as the sole agency to run the scheme.

5.2 Which purity grades does BIS recognise?

IS 1417:2016 allows hallmarking of six grades of gold. Each grade is a karat value with its fineness in parts per thousand.

• 14K (585)
• 18K (750)
• 20K (833)
• 22K (916)
• 23K (958)
• 24KS (995)

IS 2112:2014 allows six grades of silver: 800, 835, 900, 925, 970 and 990.

5.3 What is printed on a hallmark?

Since 1 July 2021, a hallmark has three marks. These are the BIS logo, the purity in karat and fineness, and a six-digit alphanumeric HUID.

HUID stands for Hallmark Unique Identification. It is unique for each item and can be traced. A buyer can check it with the “Verify HUID” feature in the BIS Care App.

Misconception: the HUID is not a price tag. It is an identity number for one article.

5.4 Who may sell hallmarked gold, and what is exempt?

The Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020 says notified gold articles must be sold by registered jewellers. They must sell through certified outlets. The Order came into force on 15 January 2021.

A jeweller applies online on the BIS portal. The certificate of registration is granted instantly, with no fee. It is valid for a lifetime. The jeweller must display the BIS logo and the line “Hallmarked jewellery available for sale”.

The Order does not apply to these cases:

• Articles meant for export that meet a foreign buyer’s specification.
• Articles weighing less than two grams.
• Articles meant for medical, dental, veterinary, scientific or industrial use.
• Gold thread.
• Gold bullion in bar, plate, sheet, foil, rod, wire, strip, tube or coin form.

5.5 Is hallmarking compulsory everywhere in India?

No. The rule covers only the districts that the Government has listed. BIS groups the listed districts into phases. The first phase, dated 23 June 2021, named 256 districts. Seven more phases added districts later.

The list’s last serial number is 392. It was reached on 3 August 2026, in the eighth phase.

Law decides who sits on the top body. The same law lets one officer grant licences. BIS also speaks for India in world standards forums.

6.1 Who sits on the Governing Council?

The members of the Governing Council form the Bureau. They also run its affairs. Section 3 of the 2016 Act lists them.

• The Minister in charge of the ministry that controls BIS is the ex officio President.
• The Minister of State or Deputy Minister, if any, is the ex officio Vice-President.
• The Secretary of that ministry or department is a member, ex officio.
• The Director General of BIS is a member, ex officio.
• Other members represent the Government, industry, scientific institutions and consumers.

6.2 What is BIS’s role in world standards?

BIS says it represents India in ISO and IEC. ISO is the International Organization for Standardization. IEC is the International Electrotechnical Commission.

The 2018-19 Annual Report adds two facts. India was a member of the ISO Council for the 2017-19 term, represented by the BIS Director General. BIS also acts as the WTO/TBT Enquiry Point of India. TBT means Technical Barriers to Trade.

The big 2026 story is hallmarking. The Government amended the district list three times. BIS also changed the fee schedule in September.

7.1 How did the hallmark district list grow in 2026?

Three Gazette orders each replaced the Annexure of the 2020 Order. The Annexure lists districts State by State.

• 2 March 2026: S.O. 1129(E), the Amendment Order, 2026. It added 7 districts, taking the list to 380.
• 28 April 2026: S.O. 2117(E), the Second Amendment Order, 2026. It added 5, taking the list to 385.
• 3 August 2026: S.O. 4345(E), the Third Amendment Order, 2026. It added 7, taking the list to 392.

Each order came into force on the date of its publication in the Gazette.

The 3 August 2026 phase named these seven districts:

• Jhargram in West Bengal.
• Angul in Odisha.
• Bhandara in Maharashtra.
• Udham Singh Nagar in Uttarakhand.
• Panipat in Haryana.
• Bhind and Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh.

An older version of this lesson said the mandatory area was “380 districts”. That was true after 2 March 2026. It is outdated now.

7.2 What changed in hallmarking fees on 14 September 2026?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (Hallmarking) Amendment Regulations, 2026 came into force on 14 September 2026. They replaced Schedule IV, which sets the fees.

• Gold: a jeweller pays a recognised centre Rs 75 per article, with a minimum of Rs 200 per consignment.
• Silver: a jeweller pays Rs 35 per article, with a minimum of Rs 150 per consignment.
• BIS charges the centre Rs 7.5 per article for gold and Rs 3.5 for silver.
• Taxes are extra.

7.3 What else did BIS list in 2026?

The BIS Scheme II page lists amendments to the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. They carry S.O. 1246(E), dated 10 March 2026.

BIS also runs a weekly open house called Jan Sunvai (public hearing). It is held every Wednesday from 14:00 to 15:00. Citizens can raise queries or grievances with BIS officials.

Exams like facts that mix up two bodies. A common trap pairs a BIS fact with an AGMARK fact. Learn who issues which mark and you can clear such a question fast.

8.1 What did UPSC ask in 2017?

UPSC CSP 2017, GS Paper I, Q32.
Consider the following statements :
1. The Standard Mark of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is mandatory for automotive tyres and tubes.
2. AGMARK is a quality Certification Mark issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Official paper: UPSC question paper. Series A key from UPSC for this paper: answer key. Answer: (a).

8.2 How do you solve it?

Test each statement alone. Statement 1 is true. The Quality Control Order of 2009 makes the BIS Standard Mark compulsory for automotive tyres and tubes. Statement 2 is false. AGMARK is a DMI mark under the 1937 Act, not an FAO mark. So the answer is (a).