Quality Control Orders by India pose challenges to manufacturers for ensuring safety, quality and performance of various products
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Quality Control Orders by India pose challenges to manufacturers for ensuring safety, quality and performance of various products
By the second quarter of 2023-2024, the Indian government has been issuing QCO, mandating BIS certification for products, in order to limit imports of substandard goods and promote domestic industry.
DPIIT has been in the process of formulating QCO for various products. According to DPIIT communication, it is constantly engaged with BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) and concerned stakeholders to identify products for which quality control orders (QCOs) are being issued.
While the BIS certification scheme is voluntary, the central government has made compliance with Indian standards mandatory for a number of products for various reasons, such as public interest, human, animal, or plant health protection, environmental safety, the prevention of unfair trade practices, and national security. Various central government line ministries mandate the use of a standard mark under a BIS licence via QCOs for such products. After consulting with BIS and stakeholders, the central government publishes those QCOs.
QCOs tabled by various ministries
QCOs which are issued by line ministry, come into effect and covers the supply of products only if it conforms to the IS mentioned in the order. No domestic or foreign manufacturer’s product covered under the scope of the standard is allowed in Indian market without ISI mark or without it conforming to BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards).
Licenses are issued by the certification authority BIS as per the process and procedures under BIS rules & regulations. Products under compulsory certification might fall under different schemes of BIS viz. Marking Scheme, Registration Scheme, Certificate of Conformity or Certification.
QCOs basically give protection to consumers
QCOs under different schemes give certifications irrespective of the nature of the schemes and can be broadly summarised as below –
Consumer Protection: QCOs are primarily designed to protect consumers from substandard and unsafe products.
Quality Assurance: QCOs mandate that the manufacturers conform to specific quality standards.
Market Credibility: Products that comply with BIS QCOs often carry the BIS certification mark, which is a symbol of quality and safety.
Level Playing Field: QCOs crate a level playing field for manufacturers by establishing uniform quality standards.
QCOs often act as deterrents to manufacturers
Some of the deterrents seen by manufacturers are as follows:
Compliance Costs: Achieving compliance with BIS QCOs can be costly for manufacturers. They may nееd to invest in upgrading their facilities, acquiring testing еquipmеnt, and obtaining certification.
Complexity: QCOs can be complex, with stringent technical requirements. Manufacturers may find it difficult to understand and implement these standards.
Enforcement Challenges: Ensuring that all manufacturers comply with QCOs can be challenging for regulatory authorities. India has a vast and diverse manufacturing sector, and monitoring very manufacturer’s compliance can be rеsourcе-intеnsivе.
Impact on innovation: Some argue that strict adherence to QCOs may stifle innovation, as manufacturers may focus on mееting existing standards rather than developing new and innovative products.
Limited Availability of Testing Facilities: Access to accredited tеsting laboratories and certification bodies can be limited. This can pose challenges for manufacturers, especially foreign manufacturers.
Proprietary blog of Karma Global
Collated and Compiled by the internal staff of Karma Global with the knowledge and expertise that they possess, besides adaptation, illustration, derivation, transformation, collection and auto generation for its monthly newsletter Issue 18 of December 2023 and in case of specific or general information or compliance updates for that matter, kindly reach out to the Marketing Team – kush@karmamgmt.com / yashika@karmamgmt.com