BIS Certification

Why Acquiring a BIS Certification Necessary for some Products?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is a national level body responsible for developing standards, issuing BIS Certification and having it implemented as per norms and regulations laid down by the Bureau. The organization responsible for the formulation of standards before the BIS came into existence was the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) that was set up in 1946 and registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860. In this article, we will discuss Acquiring a BIS Certification Necessary for some Products.

How the BIS Certification Agency BIS came into existence?

The Bureau was created as per the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 but was replaced by the new Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. The new Act has three primary objectives:

• Simplify the process of doing business in India
• To propel the Make in India campaign, and
• Guarantee the availability of standardized, reliable and high-quality goods and services to the Indian public and residents.

Is BIS Registration mandatory for certain products?

The BIS Certification is voluntary by nature in general. But the government has made BIS registration mandatory for certain products under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS).

The CRS was first introduced in 2012 by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology that had identified 15 products that required mandatory BIS registration. The Scheme is divided into two distinct parts: –

• Scheme – I (ISI Mark scheme):

Manufacturers of 136 products included in the scheme need to obtain the ISI certification so that they can sell their products in the Indian market. It applies to Indian as well as foreign manufacturers. Once the ISI registration is obtained by the manufacturer, the product and the packaging need to bear the ISI Mark which is a form of guarantee that the product conforms to the required standards. The process of obtaining the ISI Certification involves testing of the product samples internally as well as in a BIS approved lab in the country. It also involves physical verification of the factory premises by BIS officials. The certification has an associated cost where the manufacturer has to pay the requisite ISI Mark certification cost to get the ISI registration done and use the ISI mark on his products.

• Scheme – II:

It contains about 50 notified product categories pertaining to electronics and IT goods. Here too the process for obtaining BIS registration remains almost the same as for ISI registration.  The manufacturer of the product needs to get his sample tested at a BIS approved lab and then apply online for obtaining the certificate. Once the certificate is granted, he needs to print or emboss the Standard Mark onto the product and packaging before selling, distributing, storing for sale or importing/ exporting such products.

The CRS is functional under Chapter IV-A of BIS Rules 1987. The registration granted is a unique number and contains specific information pertaining to the manufacture, location of production, brand name, and the product type.

Let us understand the details of acquiring BIS Certification for Set Top Box and Telephone Answering Machines.

Details of BIS Certification for Set-top Box and Telephone Answering Machines

1. Product Description

S. No.	Product Name	Indian Standard applicable
1.	Set-top Box	IS 13252(Part 1):2010*
2.	Telephone Answering Machine	IS 13252(Part 1):2010*

Details about IS13252 (Part 1):2010* –

• The Standard Name is Information Technology Equipment Safety: General Requirements and corresponds to the IEC 60950-1:2005 standard.
• The Indian Standard does not cover the performance or the functional aspects of the equipment being tested.
• The IS covers the safety standards of equipment where the focus is to minimize risks pertaining to electric shocks, fire, radiation, energy and heat-related hazards, mechanical and chemical hazards.
• Equipment under the standard is meant to use the AC Mains supply.
• It also is applicable to components and subassemblies that are used to make this IT equipment.

What are the documents required for BIS Certification?

The following documents need to be submitted to BIS headquarters at Delhi for being considered eligible for the BIS Certification.

1. Completed Form VI online duly signed and sealed. The hard copy of the same has to be sent to the head office of BIS.
2. Acknowledgment copy of the form being submitted online.
3. The Test report in original along with an undertaking from the CEO/ owner/authorized
4. Registered office address proof – the Business License of the company or any other government document.
5. Demand Draft of the Government Fee or confirmation of NEFT online. The BIS Certification costs for the products being discussed here has been mentioned below: –

S. No.	Product Name	Government Fees (Rs.)
1.	Set-top Box	53000/-
2.	Telephone Answering Machine	53000/-

6. Registration certificate of the registered In case the brand owner is different from the manufacturer of the product, the manufacturer needs to submit an authorization letter or agreement to this effect from the brand owner.
7. In case the applicant is not the CEO of the company, an authorization letter from the CEO to this effect. It is essential that the applicant is an employee of the said company.
8. In case the brand is still not registered, a copy of the application made for Trademark registration needs to be submitted.
9. Undertaking in prescribed format for Indian Standard IS13252 (Part 1):2010* amendment 2, wherever applicable.
10. In case of foreign manufacturers, details of Authorised Indian representative (AIR) and an affidavit cum undertaking from the CEO/Authorised person as per prescribed format – Format A along with the ID proof of the signatory. In case the manufacturer already has a branch office or liaison office in India, he needs to submit the Certificate of Incorporation from the ROI or any relevant document as proof of the establishment of the liaison office.
11. In case the foreign manufacturer is tied up with an Indian representative or nominee, he needs to submit official documents to prove that the nominee is the brand owner of the said brand in India along with official ID proof of the nominee, an affidavit cum undertaking from the CEO/authorized signatory as per Format B and ID proof of the authorized
12. For Indian manufacturers, an affidavit as per Format C and ID proof of the authorized signatory if the affidavit is signed by the signatory instead of the CEO of the company.

BIS Registration Process

• The process initiates with the manufacturer sending a sample of his product to a BIS recognized lab within India for testing. The objective is to get the test report that proves that the product conforms to IS 13252(Part 1):2010* in totality. The sample must be accompanied by the Lab fees that the manufacturer needs to pay the lab. The applicable lab fees for getting the two products tested are: –

S. No.	Product Name	Lab Fees (Rs.)
1.	Set-top Box	40000/-
2.	Telephone Answering Machine	40000/-

Once the testing is done, the lab will generate the Test report. The original report needs to be submitted online.

• The application needs to be filled in online. The manufacturer or the applicant needs to register at the BIS site and then proceed using the registered User Id and password. Form VI needs to be filled in.
• The supporting documents that have been mentioned above along with the required government fees need to be submitted online. Fees can be deposited via DD too.
• Once the online form is accepted, the hard copy of the Form and the documents along with the acknowledgment of online submission and NEFT confirmation details need to be sent or submitted at the BIS Head office at Manak Bhawan, New Delhi within 15 days. If the hard copy fails to reach the office within the stipulated time, the application process needs to be redone by the manufacturer.
• BIS treats all applications under CRS on first come first basis. The concerned officials will review the documents and the application, scrutinize in-depth.
• In case of any query, they will write to the applicant which the applicant can revert back to online itself.
• In case of any shortcomings in the product, test report or documents, the same needs to be corrected by the applicant/manufacturer at the earliest and send the update to BIS accordingly.
• When all documents are in order, the product is given the certification. The approval is generally updated online so manufacturers and applicants can check the same online.
• Once the product is certified, the same cannot be sold or exported/imported without putting the standard mark on the product and its outer packaging.

Frequently asked questions

• How long does the lab take to generate the test report?

A BIS authorized lab should not be taking more than 15 days to have the sample tested and generate the test report.

• How long does it take to obtain the BIS registration number?

If all documents are in order and the entire process is done as per laid down norms and regulations, it should not take more than 20 days to obtain the registration number. However, the time is subject to the applicant or the manufacturer reverting back on time on different queries and shortcomings posted by BIS.

• How long does it take to obtain the ISI Certification?

The ISI certification can be obtained under two procedures – under the normal process it takes about 4 months to six months. Under the second process called the simplified process, it takes about a month to get the product registered.

• For how long is the test report valid?

The test report needs to be less than 90 days old at the time of submission to BIS along with the application form. In case it is older, the manufacturer needs to get the sample product re-tested again.

• Who are BIS certification agents?

These are companies that specialize in providing consultancy and services related to BIS certification and ISI Registration. Their team typically constitute of experienced specialists who have acquired the required knowledge as well as have worked in the particular field for a considerable amount of time. They are also called BIS Certification consultants who charge a nominal consultancy fee for getting all paperwork done, provide assistance and even liaison with BIS to get the certification done on time – leading BIS certification agents in India charge about Rs. 25000/- per product for certification as the consultancy fees. It is advisable to hire the best in the industry as the certification process involves tedious and detailed paperwork and processes that need to be completed in a limited time frame.

• What are some of the commonly observed shortcomings?

Shortcomings in the application can delay the registration process. Hence it is best to be careful while filling the application form. Some of the common errors are –

1. Differing name of the production unit in the application form, test report and other documents.
2. Different address of the production unit mentioned in the application form, test report and other documents.
3. Undertaking or annexure submitted without signatures of authorized representative or signatory.
4. Application submitted without signatures instead it is affixed by the signature stamp.
5. Incorrect or incomplete brand-related information provided in Form VI.
6. The Authorised Indian Representative nomination form is not submitted with the form.
7. Mismatch of brand image or text on the test report and the brand registration certificate.
8. Incomplete test reports submitted even though the undertaking has been signed for completeness.
9. Nonconforming test reports are submitted even though undertaking has been signed regarding compliance.
10. Incorrect information provided on the undertaking.

• What other product categories are notified for mandatory registration under the CRS Scheme – II?

Other than the products mentioned above, some of the other products are – amplifiers with input power of 2000W and above; automatic data processing machines; electronics clocks with mains power; electronic games (video); electronic musical systems with input power 2000Watts and above; Laptop/Notebook/Tablet; microwave ovens; optical disc players with inbuilt amplifiers of input power 200Watts and above; plasma/LCD/ LED TVs of screen size 32” and above; printers/plotters; scanners; VDU and video monitors of screen size 32” and above; wireless keyboards; passport reader; cash registers; copying machines/duplicators; POS terminals; mail processing machines/postage machines/franking machines; smart card reader; power banks for use in portable applications; mobile phones; self-ballasted LED lamps for general lighting; DC or AC supplied electronic control gear for LED modules; power adaptors for audio, video and similar electronic apparatus; power adapters for IT equipment; fixed general purpose LED luminaries, UPS/Invertors of rating<= 5KVA and <=10 KVA; LED Flood lights; LED hand lamps; LED lighting chains; and many more.

Conclusion

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