BIS Certification – Process, Types and Validity

BIS certification is issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in India. The BIS certification indicates third party, i.e. BIS assurance of any product’s quality, reliability, and safety to the customers. The BIS is involved in several activities like certification of products, standards formulation, testing, hallmarking, calibration scheme, etc.

The BIS certification for products is voluntary. However, the Government of India has made it mandatory for certain products considering public health. As per the government notification, 380 products are mandatorily required to obtain the BIS certification. The BIS certification permits the license holders to use the ISI mark (‘standard mark’) on their products. The ISI (Indian Standards Institution) mark denotes quality products.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

The BIS is a national standards body promoting and regulating standards of products and goods in India. The BIS has set up eight Central, four regional, and three branch laboratories in India to test the samples of the products during the preliminary and surveillance operations. The BIS certification for products, even though voluntary, is encouraged by the government for the following purposes:

• It provides a safeguard to public health
• It provides quality assurance
• It protects the consumer from hazardous products
• It promotes consumer confidence

Benefits of BIS Certification

The BIS registration provides the following benefits:

• Ensures quality standards as BIS registration products are bound to follow a certain standard while manufacturing the goods
• Gives authenticity to BIS certified products as they deliver high-quality performance and reliability
• BIS certified products minimise environmental risks as BIS has prohibited the usage of certain chemicals and materials under its prescribed norms
• BIS registration is granted after testing the samples of the products in BIS set-up laboratories, ensuring quality inspection and high-quality of products

Products That Come Under BIS Certification

There are different categories of products that require compulsory BIS certification (Scheme-I). There are 380 products totally that require compulsory BIS certification. Here is the list of products under compulsory certification. 

Any manufacturer can also obtain voluntary BIS certification for products as it indicates high quality and standards of the products to the customers. Here is the list of 738 products for which a manufacturer can obtain voluntary BIS certification under simplified procedure.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) notified compulsory BIS registration for certain electronics and information technology goods under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS). Here is the list of 77 products under the Compulsory Registration Scheme.

Types of BIS Registration Schemes

The BIS certification is provided under different types of schemes for the products, which are as follows: 

ISI Mark Scheme Registration for Domestic Manufacturers

The manufacturers of products that come under the compulsory BIS certification (Scheme-I) have to register through the normal procedure. However, certain products that require compulsory certification are also included in the list of products that come under simplified registration. When the compulsory BIS certification products are listed under the products eligible for simplified registration, the manufacturers of such products should register them under the simplified procedure and not through the normal procedure. 

Under the normal BIS certification procedure, the manufacturer of the compulsory BIS certification product has to submit the BIS registration application to the authorised officer of the jurisdiction where the manufacturing unit is located. The manufacturer of the products must submit Form V under Scheme-I (BIS registration application) along with the required documents and requisite fees. 

The BIS officers will conduct a preliminary factory evaluation after receiving the BIS certification application. The BIS officers will collect samples of the products, test them and obtain an independent testing report. When the products meet the confirmed quality standards, the BIS certification/license is provided. Under this procedure, the BIS license is granted within 4-6 months after submitting the registration application.

Registration Under Simplified Procedure for Domestic Manufacturers

The BIS introduced the simplified procedure to give pace to the process of granting the BIS license. The manufacturers of the products listed under the simplified procedure must mandatorily apply for BIS certification under the simplified procedure. The BIS license is granted within 30 days of submitting the BIS certification application under this simplified procedure.

The manufacturer must submit the BIS registration application, the required documents, self-evaluation reports and test reports of product samples obtained from the approved lab to the respective BIS officer. When the test report meets the standard requirements, the BIS officer will verify the factory and grant BIS certification within 30 days of submitting the BIS application.

The simplified procedure is applicable for grant of BIS license of ‘All India First License’ cases and all the products listed under the simplified procedure except in the following circumstances:

• Products like valves, cylinders, cement, etc., where it is necessary to obtain approval from another statutory authority
• All those products where BIS license is issued on the basis of factory testing

ECO Mark Scheme Registration

The BIS also provides certification to environmentally friendly products under the ECO mark scheme. Under this scheme, BIS categorises all environmental products that conform to the basic requirements under Indian Standards. The BIS grants an ‘ECO’ logo along with an ‘ISI Mark’ for the products. 

The logo and mark indicate that the product meets certain environmental criteria and the relevant Indian Standards quality requirements. A single mark is granted to the products, which will be the combination of the ISI mark and the ECO logo. 

The procedure to get the BIS license under the ECO mark scheme is similar to obtaining a BIS license for domestic manufacturers under the normal or simplified registration procedure. When a manufacturer already has a valid BIS certification mark for a product and wants to get a new product covered under the ECO mark scheme, the manufacturer has to make a specific request to the BIS. The BIS will take the required steps for grant of BIS license under the ECO mark scheme.

Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS)

The BIS grants the specially designed ISI mark for overseas applicants or foreign manufacturers under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) within six months. They can obtain BIS certification for products under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) and compulsory BIS certification scheme (Scheme-I).

The BIS introduced the FMCS in 2000 to enable overseas applicants or foreign manufacturers to obtain and use the standard ISI mark on their products. The foreign manufacturers have to set up a branch office in India with the required permissions and nominate an agent in India.

The foreign applicant must submit the BIS registration application form with the BIS in the prescribed format, the requisite documents and fees. The BIS will conduct a preliminary inspection of the product at the applicant’s manufacturing and testing units and collect samples for independent testing. 

When the BIS is satisfied that the products meet the standard requirements, it shall grant the BIS certification. When the BIS certification is granted to the foreign manufacturer or overseas applicants, they should pay an annual minimum marking fee and annual license fee.

BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS)

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) notified the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) in 2012. It passed the ‘Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012’ for 15 categories of electronics items. However, it added more electronic and information technology goods under the CRS subsequently.

Under CRS, the manufacturers of the products listed under the CRS have to obtain the BIS certification for those products mandatorily. As per the 2012 order passed by MeitY, a person cannot manufacture, distribute, or store goods for sale or import that do not conform to the Indian Standards specified in the order and bear the standard mark with a BIS unique registration number.

The BIS grants the licence to the manufacturers of the electronic products to use or apply the standard mark with a unique R-number. The manufacturers can obtain BIS certification under the CRS through registration based on self-declaration of conformity for each product by filing Form-I under smart registration.

The manufacturers should obtain test reports for their products from the BIS recognised laboratory. They should submit the verified test report to the BIS and file an undertaking of conformity of the product. They must also submit an affidavit to ensure conformity of the product to the BIS.

When the application submitted by the applicant indicates that the manufacturer has the necessary infrastructure for manufacturing quality products continuously and the test results indicate conformity of the product with the relevant Indian Standards, the BIS will grant the BIS certification under the CRS. 

BIS Registration Procedure

The BIS registration procedure generally involves the licensing process and surveillance process. The following steps are involved under the licensing process:

• The manufacturers submit the BIS registration application 
• The BIS officer will visit the factory for a preliminary inspection
• After the inspection, the product samples will be tested 
• After completion of the evaluation, the BIS officer will derive the final result 

After the inspection process, the inspecting officer will conduct the surveillance process to conduct a complete survey of the factory. The following steps are involved under the surveillance process:

• The inspecting authority will visit the factory to testify the test results
• The inspecting officer will send the samples to the independent labs
• The test report will give feedback or brief the complaint on the investigation
• The performance review report will be prepared
• Once the report is reviewed, the BIS license is granted

Documents Required for BIS Certification

The documents vary depending on the type of BIS registration scheme. However, the general required documents that a manufacturer needs to submit to the BIS for obtaining BIS certification are as follows:

• Name and address proof of office and factory
• Document showing the establishment of the manufacturing unit such as Incorporation Certificate or Registration Certificate or Memorandum of Association, etc.
• MSME/SSI certificate, if applicable
• Manufacturing process flow covering all processes of manufacture (from raw material to finished product stage)
• Manufacturing machinery list along with the machinery details
• Details of outsourcing of manufacturing operation, if applicable
• A detailed list of testing facilities and testing equipment list
• Copies of valid calibration certificates of testing equipment 
• Third-party laboratory test report as per Indian Standards, if applicable
• Layout plan of the factory premises and location plan of the factory
• In-house or independent test report, if applicable
• In case the application is signed by the authorised signatory, the authorisation letter from CEO in the authorised signatory name
• In case of a foreign manufacturer or overseas applicant, nomination details of Indian agent and nomination form

Validity of BIS Certification

The BIS certification issued by the BIS is valid for two years. The manufacturers can renew the BIS certification when there is no change in the concerned products and prescribed standards. The renewed BIS certificate will be valid for at least one year and a maximum of five years.

The renewal of the BIS certificate is subject to an annual advance minimum marking fee and license fee. However, if the renewal application of the BIS certification is filed after the expiry period of the certificate, the applicant needs to pay a late fee of Rs.5000.

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