Bureau of Indian Standards
Product Certification
in Developing CountriesIndian Perspective
Bureau of Indian Standards
Relevance of Certification
• Independent proof of compliance to prescribed
Standards
• Objective mechanism for acceptance of goods
& services in foreign trade, especially in MRAs
• Basis for compliance to Technical regulations
• Confidence Building through use of
International Standards & Guides such as
Guide 65, Guide 62, ISO 17025, ISO 17020
Bureau of Indian Standards
Benefits of Certification
• Manufacturers
– Improvement & consistency in quality.
– Customer confidence and wider markets
• Organized Purchasers
– Confidence in integrity of a product.
– Reduction in costly testing and inspection
• Common Consumer
– Brand oriented selection, confidence in the purchase.
• National Level
– Protection of consumer and environment
– Improved public purchases and optimum overall economy.
• International Level
– Facilitation of international trade, mutual recognition and
acceptance. Costly testing and inspection avoided.
Bureau of Indian Standards
Product certification
• Recognition of a conformity mark
means three preconditions being met
– Competence of the conformity assessment body
– Visibility of the mark of conformity (people know
what it means)
– Credibility of the mark of conformity (people
believe the results of the assessment are relevant
and valid)
Bureau of Indian Standards
INDIA – REGULATORY AGENCIES
IMPORTANT AGENCIES INVOLVED IN QUALITY REGULATION
Directorate General of Health Services
PFA
Ministry of Food Processing Industry
FPO
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion
BIS & EC Acts
Directorate of Marketing and Inspection
AGMARK
Department of Agriculture & Cooperation
Plant Quarantine
Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying
MMPO
Department of Legal Metrology
Weights & Measures Act
Bureau of Energy Efficiency
Energy Conservation Act
Chief Controller of Explosives
Indian Explosives Act
Directorate General of Mines Safety
Coal Mines Regulations
Ministry for Road Transport
CMVR
Central Pollution Control Board
Bureau of Indian Standards
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION - VOLUNTARY
I
M
P
O
R
T
S
BIS
AGMARK
&
OTHERS
EIC
DOMESTIC
E
X
P
O
R
T
S
Bureau of Indian Standards
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION - MANDATORY
I
M
P
O
R
T
S
BIS for
109
Products
EIC
DOMESTIC
E
X
P
O
R
T
S
Bureau of Indian Standards
BIS Certification activities
• Product certification Schemes
– General Products domestic certification
– Certification schemes for foreign manufacturers and
Indian importers.
– Hallmarking of gold jewellery.
– Eco-mark
• Management System Certification Schemes
– Quality system certification including HACCP.
– Environment management system certification.
– Occupational Health & Safety
Bureau of Indian Standards
BIS Certification Schemes
90
EMS
1600
800
41
QMS
Hall Mark
Foreign
18000
Licences
issued
Product
Bureau of Indian Standards
BIS Product certification
• Started in 1955
• Self-supporting Scheme
• Operated under an Act of Parliament
• Basically voluntary in nature (akin to world practices)
• Central Govt. (Not BIS) can make Mandatory where human
health and safety are involved.
• Products under certification
•
Under Mandatory Certification
-
~ 1200
109
Bureau of Indian Standards
HQ – Delhi
5 Regional
Offices
33 Branch
Offices
5 Inspection
Offices
8 Labs
Bureau of Indian Standards
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION
Conforms to
ISO Guide
65
Modeled on
ISO Guide
28
ISO TYPE 5
SCHEME
Almost
1200
Products
Voluntary
Scheme
Bureau of Indian Standards
Certification Process
•
•
•
•
•
Application - Scrutiny and registration
Preliminary Factory evaluation
Testing of samples - In factory and laboratories
Grant of licence
Surveillance
– Periodic factory visits
– Factory sample testing
– Market sample testing
• Annual Review of licence
– Renewal
– Expiry/cancellation
Bureau of Indian Standards
Mandatory Certification
109 Products
• Food Colours & Food Additives
• Cement
• Gas Cylinders
• Electrical Appliances
• Infant Milk Products
• Pressure Stoves
• Steel Tubes
• Miners’ Safety Equipment
• Packaged Drinking Water and Natural Mineral Water
• Thermometers
Bureau of Indian Standards
LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK
BIS ACT 1986
Section 10
Section 11 ,
12
Section 14
General Powers
Violations: Misuse of ISI Mark etc
Powers for Mandatory Certification
Section 15
Section 25
Section 26
Powers to grant / cancel licence etc
Powers to appoint Inspecting
Officers
Powers to conduct search & seizure
Section 33
Penalties for violations
Rule 9
Establishment of Standard Mark
BIS Rules 1987 Rule 12
Rules 20, 21
Powers to conduct inspections
Appointment & Powers of
Inspecting Officers
BIS (Certification) Regulations, 1988
Bureau of Indian Standards
Product certification
BIS Standard Mark
Bureau of Indian Standards
Conformity Assessment & TBT
• Importance of Conformity Assessment is realized by the
fact that TBT Agreement devotes four articles to CA
arrangements
• The main spirit being that CAPs
• are not prepared, adopted and applied with a view to or
with the effect of creating unnecessary obstacles to
International trade
• Are notified to other members when not in line with
international guides
• Of other members are accepted even when procedures
are different provided they offer an assurance of
conformity equivalent to their own
Bureau of Indian Standards
Acceptance of CAPs ?
• Possible approaches
– Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA)s between
certifiers
– Multilateral Recognition between certifiers
– International Accreditation of certifiers
Objective : One Stop Assessment --- Accepted
World wide
Bureau of Indian Standards
Acceptance of CAPs ?
• Developing countries’ Dilemma
– Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA)s between
certifiers – Limited recognition, new arrangement
every time
– Multilateral Recognition between certifiers –
Costly, time consuming, involves socio-political
concerns
– International Accreditation of certifiers– Ideal, but
difficult to conclude due to difference in adopted
procedures, availability of resources and
condescending approach of developed countries
Bureau of Indian Standards
Certification –
Voluntary or Mandatory ?
• Voluntary
– Operates in free market conditions
– Tests the real strength of the Scheme and the certifier
– Businesses implement voluntary standards as a strategic
planning and marketing tool
– Reliability levels are high
• Mandatory
–
–
–
–
To regulate quality for domestic consumption
Unwilling industry segments resort to violations
Need for enforcement/policing
Additional manpower resources are required
Bureau of Indian Standards
Certification –
Voluntary or Mandatory ?
• Developing countries’ Dilemma
To use or not, the mandatory Certification
Scheme especially to
• regulate quality in critical sectors when other
measures prove ineffective
• Prevent substandard imports
• Protect domestic industry
Bureau of Indian Standards
MANDATORY CERTIFICATION
How it has affects NCBs
• Diversion of scarce Technical manpower from
core areas to regulatory functions :
• Enforcement raids
• Legal follow up
• Negligible support from Enforcement Agencies
shifts primary responsibility to NCB
• Possibility of Public criticism
• Increased pressure on NCB to protect Brand
image of Certification Mark
Bureau of Indian Standards
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
• Make regulatory bodies responsible for enforcement
under their respective acts
• NCBs should propagate compliance of standards
through their voluntary certification schemes
• Encourage government purchasing with Product
certification, wherever available
• Governments should identify products in critical
fields of health, safety and environment sectors for
mandatory compliance in a phased manner
• Amend Consumer protection Legislations to enable
governments to notify mandatory compliance to
National standards
• Enhance Penalties for violations as a deterrent
Bureau of Indian Standards
Danke
gut
Dhanyavad
Merci
Thank
you