Various departments of the Central Government from time to time publish Quality Control Orders (QCO) that make certification by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mandatory for specified products. The BIS has published a list of QCOs that shall become applicable alongside dates of application.

QCOs entail producers of specified goods to gain BIS certification in accordance with one of the four schemes specified under the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 namely: (1) Scheme I – Mark Scheme, (2) Scheme II – Registration Scheme, (3) Scheme IV – Certificate of Conformity and (4) Scheme X – Certification.

Non-conformity with the QCOs shall attract the application of Section 17 of The Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 as per which, such non-conformity is a cognizable offence punishable by a fine not less than two lakh rupees, imprisonment up to two years or both. The fine amount shall increase with subsequent contraventions and may extend to ten times the value of goods or articles produced without the mark or license as made mandatory through the QCOs.

The salient features of the QCOs alongside the date of implementation are as follows:

• The Department of Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) through its Order dated August 9, 2023, notified a QCO under Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following product:

The QCO shall not apply to goods or articles manufactured domestically by an enterprise registered under Udhyam Portal of the Ministry of Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises where the investment does not exceed Rs. Twenty-Five Lakh and the turnover does not exceed Rs. Two Crore.
Implementation dates:
All producers: February 9, 2024.

Notification Link:
[https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/TBT/IND/23_8765_00_e.pdf].

• The DPIIT through its Order dated August 9, 2023, notified a QCO under Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following products:

Implementation dates:
General producers: February 9, 2024.
Micro Enterprises as defined under Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (MSME Act): August 9, 2024 (six-month grace period).
Small Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: May 9, 2024 (three-month grace period).

Notification Link:
[https://taxguru.in/corporate-law/fire-extinguishers-quality-control-Order-2023.html].

• The DPIIT through its Order dated August 9, 2023, notified a QCO under Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following products:

Implementation dates:
General producers: February 9, 2024.
Micro Enterprises and Small Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: August 9, 2024 (six-month grace period).

Notification Link:
[https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/TBT/IND/23_09481_00_e.pdf].

• The DPIIT through its Order dated August 9, 2023, notified a QCO under Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following products:

Implementation dates:
General producers: February 9, 2024.
Micro Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: August 9, 2024 (six-month grace period).
Small Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: May 9, 2024 (three-month grace period).

Notification Link:
[https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Cookwareand-Utensils-QCO-2023.pdf].

• The DPIIT through its Order dated August 10, 2023, notified a QCO under Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following products:

Implementation dates:
General producers: February 10, 2024.
Small and Micro Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: August 10, 2024 (six-month grace period).

Notification Link:
[https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/TBT/IND/23_09652_00_e.pdf].

• The DPIIT through its Order dated August 24, 2023, notified a QCO Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following products:

The QCO shall not apply to goods manufactured domestically for export.
Implementation dates:
All producers: February 24, 2024.

Notification Link:
[https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Solar-DC-Cable-and-Fire-Survival-Cable-QCO-2023.pdf].

• The DPIIT through its Order dated August 24, 2023, notified a QCO under Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following products:

The QCO shall not apply to products manufactured domestically for export.
Implementation dates:
General producers: February 24, 2024.
Micro Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: August 24, 2024 (six-month grace period).
Small Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: May 24, 2024 (three-month grace period).

            Notification Link:
[https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Cast-Iron-Products-QCO-2023.pdf]

• The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals through its Order dated May 23, 2023, amended and notified a QCO under Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following products:

The QCO shall not apply to products manufactured for export.
Implementation dates:
All producers: February 29, 2024.

Notification Link:
[https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Vinyl-Acetate-Monomer-and-Methyl-Acrylate.pdf amending https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/QCO-for-ethyl-acrylate-methyl-acrylate-and-Vinyl-acetate-monomer.pdf].

• The DPIIT through its Order dated August 29, 2023, notified a QCO under Scheme I Schedule II – “Compulsory use of Standard Mark” of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations on the following products:

The QCO shall not apply to products manufactured domestically for export.
Implementation dates:
General producers: February 29, 2024.
Micro Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: August 29, 2024 (six-month grace period).
Small Enterprises as defined under MSME Act: May 29, 2024 (three-month grace period).

Notification Link:

[https://www.bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Notified-Plywood-and-Wooden-flush-door-shutters-Quality-Control-Order-2023-in-e-Gazette.pdf].