In today's world's trading environment, product quality, safety, and adherence to national standards are not only regulatory requirements but competitive imperatives. The Indian regulating department for ensuring these standards of quality is the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). For manufacturers as well as importers, BIS certification is not a legal requirement but a door opener for access to the market, consumer confidence, and business reputation.
This article discusses the importance of BIS certification, BIS certification process, and how Bureau of Indian Standards is a decision-making organization to ensure the compliance of products and access to Indian markets.
What is BIS Certification?
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is India's national standards body set up by the BIS Act, 2016. BIS confirms that products available in the Indian market are of some quality and safety standards. Certification by BIS is an indication of quality and safety that a product complies with Indian standards formulated by BIS.
It has various schemes like the ISI mark scheme, Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) for IT and electronics goods, and FMCS BIS (Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme) for foreign companies. Domestic manufacturers and importers who intend to sell regulated products within India are required to get certification.
Why BIS Certification is Important?
-
Legal Compliance and Market Access: A number of products are compulsorily notified by the Government of India. Manufacturers and importers are prohibited from selling, distributing, or importing listed items in India without a valid registration of the BIS certificate. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the seizing of goods, imposition of fines, and legal suits. India BIS certification thereby becomes mandatory for lawful market entry.
-
Consumer Confidence and Brand Trust: The BIS hallmark certificate or the ISI mark on a product guarantees Indian consumers safety and quality. Certified products have greater confidence on the part of the consumer in a price-conscious but safety-conscious country like India.
-
Prevention of Counterfeit and Substandard Products: With rigorous BIS standards, certification prevents the dumping of spurious or dangerous products in the Indian market. For importers, it's a sieve for good quality, which ensures good-quality goods enter the Indian market and Indian consumers. For manufacturers, it safeguards brand equity.
-
Conformance to International Standards: BIS harmonizes Indian standards to international standards such as ISO, IEC, etc. Manak online and the Manak Product Certification portal allow companies to monitor and keep themselves informed. It not only promotes product quality in India but also facilitates Indian manufacturers' export.
-
Customs Clearance and Logistics: Among the most important pitfalls for importers is customs clearance delay because of non-registered or non-compliant goods. BIS certification eases the process. Only Indian customs may clear such goods within the scope of the BIS directive if cleared against the registration of the Bureau of Indian Standards. BIS registration is therefore compulsory and not optional for customs conformity.
Key BIS Certification Schemes
-
ISI Mark Certification: Applied to Indian local producers of goods like electric appliances, cement, steel, etc. This will ensure that the product meets appropriate Indian standards.
-
Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS): For predominantly imported IT and electronic products. The products will need to be tested by laboratories approved by BIS and then receive BIS registration before they can be allowed for sale in India.
-
FMCS BIS (Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme): For foreign manufacturers, FMCS BIS allows them to get the ISI mark license so that they can market their products in India. The process is more complicated involving factory audit, laboratory testing, and strict documentation
BIS Certification Process
The BIS certification process relies on whether the candidate manufacturer is domestic or foreign. In either case, the steps are basic:
-
Product Testing – Testing of samples must be conducted in laboratories approved by BIS.
-
Submission of Application – On the Manak Online portal, submit along with documents required.
-
Inspection – BIS officials may inspect factories or cross-verify test reports.
-
Granting of License – On passing the examination, the certificate is issued.
-
Marking and Renewal – ISI mark or CRS mark is the sign of certified products which require renewal of licenses from time to time.
BIS website also assists e-governance through Manak online portal, where monitoring of applications, uploading of files, and certification processing is easily done.
Challenges Without BIS Certification
-
Doing business without the required certification is costly:
-
Imported goods seizure
-
Tariff delay
-
Prosecution and fines through financial means
-
Loss of reputation and consumer confidence
-
Supply chain responsiveness issues with government orders or big-box retailers
Conclusion
In a regulated and quality-oriented economy like India, BIS certification is as much a business requirement as it is a statute. Exporting toys, producing steel, or importing electronics, being BIS compliant is the way to be. It makes everything run smoothly, gets you respect, and unveils humongous opportunity. Having the services of a professional BIS registration consultant by your side can make it all too simple and worthwhile. Let BIS be no obstacle, but a mark of excellence and trustworthiness for your brand name.
SKMC Global, we are one-stop solution which offers end-to-end assistance to importers and manufacturers for the entire BIS certification process. Our experts, who are well-versed in their area, support product testing, documentation, testing in the laboratory, and coordination for inspection and approval with BIS. We also support post-certification compliance to track non-future deviation from standards. We offer FMCS BIS, Manak Product Certification, and BIS hallmarking services. Your firm can procure fast BIS registration using our sure-shot guidance.