Explained | What is BIS certificate, the license Archies's toys lacked?

BIS came into being to ensure 'harmonious development' of activities that pertain to standardisation and quality certification of goods

The last one month has been quite troublesome for toy stores across India with the seizure of around 18,600 toys from major retail stores including big players like Archies and Hamleys owing to the lack of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) quality mark as well as for using fake licenses.

Wondering what this BIS certification is that led these major brands in a soup? DH brings you the details

What is BIS?

BIS is the National Standard Body of India that came into being to ensure “harmonious development” of activities that pertain to standardisation and quality certification of goods.

It has been of great value to the national economy as it guarantees the quality of goods in terms of their safety and reliability along with minimising health hazards.

How did the BIS come about?

When India was on the brink of Independence, its industrial infrastructure was just growing. This called for a set of national standards to keep a check on the quality of work. And so the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) was established on January 6, 1947.

Also Read | New BIS specifications for TVs manufactured in India

The ISI only concentrated on product certification and did not focus on the need to meet a particular set of quality/safety standards, which is why the BIS came into existence with a broadened scope. The Bureau consists of 25 members.

Is a BIS license mandatory?

Getting a BIS certification is usually voluntary. However, the government of India has mandated “compliance to Indian standards” for a few products keeping in mind public interest as well as animal and environment welfare. Under the BIS Act 2016, the government can bring under compulsory certification regime "any goods or article of any scheduled industry, process, system or service which it considers necessary in the public interest or for the protection of human, animal or plant health, safety of the environment, or prevention of unfair trade practices, or national security."

As of January 1, 2021, the government has made toys a part of this list seeking a compulsory confirmation of safety norms that have been specified by the Bureau.

Who can apply?

Any organisation that has a legal entity in India or abroad and is engaged in manufacturing or assembling can apply for a BIS certificate. In order to apply for the certificate, one can either login to BIS and fill out the application form there, or download the form, attach documents, and submit it with the stipulated fee.

How does BIS grant a license?

The Bureau conducts visits to the manufacturing premises of the organisation seeking a certificate to assess its manufacturing infrastructure, quality control, and testing capabilities. In order to confirm that a given product adheres to the relevant standards, BIS conducts third-party laboratory testing/testing on the manufacturing premises, or both.

Post license surveillance

In order to ensure that a manufacturer is adhering to its safety and quality standards even after securing the license, BIS conducts “surprise factory surveillance inspections”.