Silver hallmarking has been voluntary since 2005, and from September 2025 onwards, hallmarked silver articles carry a Hallmark Distinctive Identification (HUID) quantity, enabling patrons to confirm purity.
“Final 12 months, we launched HUID for silver jewelry as effectively, and demand is rising. We now have taken inventory of the necessities and are able to take up silver jewellery testing in an enormous manner in our laboratories,” BIS Deputy Director Basic (Laboratories) Nishat S Haque advised PTI.
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“We can deal with the requirement inside our personal labs for roughly the subsequent two years. Inside that interval, we can be increasing referral and assay laboratories throughout the nation,” she mentioned.
The variety of silver jewelry articles hallmarked rose to five.9 million within the 2025-26 fiscal 12 months from 3.2 million in 2024-25, in keeping with official information. There are at present round 230 Assaying and Hallmarking Centres recognised by BIS for testing silver jewelry.
Gold hallmarking surveillance saved in-house BIS, the federal government’s nationwide standard-setting physique, runs all market surveillance testing of hallmarked gold jewelry by means of its personal laboratories fairly than outsourcing it, Haque mentioned, describing the scheme as one of many regulator’s largest consumer-confidence successes.
“That is the one product the place now we have arrange a referral and assay laboratory inside BIS’s personal lab setup. We don’t outsource this market surveillance exercise of hallmarked jewelry to any exterior lab,” she mentioned.
Laboratory community has practically tripled since 2014
BIS examined practically 270,000 product samples prior to now 12 months, Haque mentioned, as its laboratory community has expanded sharply to satisfy rising certification demand. BIS now operates 10 of its personal laboratories nationwide, backed by a wider community of recognised non-public and empanelled authorities labs constructed underneath a Laboratory Recognition Scheme launched in 1985.
“In 2014 we had round 147 recognised laboratories and solely 24 authorities laboratories empanelled with us. At this time we’re having 440 recognised laboratories and 350 empanelled laboratories,” Haque mentioned.
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BIS has set near 23,000 requirements in complete, of which about 700 are obligatory, and the laboratory community will preserve increasing to match the load, she mentioned, citing latest empanelments for CCTV safety, power-transmission-line and petrochemical testing.
Use of ai and robotics underneath trial
Haque mentioned BIS seen synthetic intelligence, machine studying and robotics as instruments to extend testing velocity, enhance transparency and cut back human error. BIS is piloting a pick-and-place robotic arm for cement testing this 12 months and plans to develop robotic options throughout laboratories relying on outcomes, she mentioned. The company has additionally built-in check tools immediately with its Lab Data Administration System (LIMS) to routinely seize and calculate readings, alongside CCTV monitoring of lab areas.
Uncommon testing mandates
Amongst BIS’s extra uncommon mandates is a 2016 Indian Normal requiring cell phones offered in India to assist texting in English, Hindi and a regional language, and to show all 22 official languages, partly to make sure emergency alerts attain all customers.
“There have been no laboratories to hold out testing for language compatibility… BIS took up the problem,” Haque mentioned.
BIS’s Central Laboratory in Sahibabad has additionally been tasked by the Reserve Financial institution of India with testing note-sorting machines’ capability to detect counterfeit forex, after the RBI required such testing be performed solely at a authorities laboratory.
Market surveillance and exports
BIS conducts common surveillance of ISI-marked merchandise similar to helmets and home equipment, drawing samples from retailers and on-line platforms, Haque mentioned. Licenses proceed provided that merchandise cross; non-compliant merchandise might be blocked. Obligatory-standard testing is enforced by means of authorities High quality Management Orders, drawing on non-public, public and empanelled authorities labs at quick discover.
BIS’s personal laboratories check just for its personal certification schemes, although most Indian requirements are harmonised with worldwide norms, she mentioned.
BIS additionally funds exterior and authorities laboratories to construct important infrastructure, together with natural meals testing amenities to assist exports.
Shopper and producer entry
Customers with complaints about BIS-certified merchandise can file them by means of the BIS Care app, with BIS testing on their behalf, Haque mentioned.
Producers can examine laboratory availability by customary and site on the company’s Laboratory Data Administration System (LIMS) portal, lims.bis.gov.in, and flag gaps for brand spanking new labs to be onboarded.
“Purchase the BIS licensed merchandise… believe in that mark,” Haque mentioned, urging producers to hunt certification by means of the BIS lab community.
