Why ISI Certification ?

ISI stands for the Indian Standards Institute, a body set up when India gained Independence to create standards needed for orderly commercial growth and maintaining quality in industrial production. By the mid-80s the country’s socio-economic climate had changed, triggering the need to set up a stronger body, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which then took over ISI. But the term “ISI mark” continues to be used to mean that a certain product conforms to the quality standards set up by the government.

Who can use the ISI mark? BIS is authorised by a legislation of 1986 to offer product certification. This certification programme is basically voluntary. Any manufacturer who feels confident enough that his product has the ability to meet the BIS standard can apply for product certification in two ways:

• Submitting an application at the nearest BIS office. A BIS officer will then evaluate at the factory level, the capability of the manufacturer to produce goods according to the standards laid down for the category. Samples are tested at the factory and outside. If the evaluation is satisfactory and the product passes the tests, a licence is granted and the manufacturer can use the coveted ISI mark.
• The manufacturer provides test reports to BIS after it gets the product tested in the bureau’s labs and gets the necessary documents certified independently. BIS is supposed to check the veracity of the reports within a month and grant a licence for usage of the ISI mark.

While product certification is otherwise voluntary, there is, however, a list of items which for reasons of public health, safety or mass nature of consumption are mandatorily certified by BIS. These include gas valves and cylinders and infant food. Manufacturers of such products can’t apply for ISI mark under the voluntary scheme.