The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is set to release the Annual Programme for Standardisation (APS) for the year 2025-26, which will include the development of new standards and the revision of existing ones in the coming year, according to a statement issued on Friday.
This effort aligns with ongoing efforts to increase the adoption of over 23,000 standards developed by BIS, ensuring adherence to globally accepted quality standards across various sectors.
The BIS, the National Standards Body of India, has also introduced a digital interface that allows stakeholders to upload proposals and track their progress.
Addressing the stakeholder meeting recently, the Director General of BIS, Pramod Kumar Tiwari, urged representatives from ministries and industry associations to contribute actively to the development of the proposed standards and to nominate relevant experts whenever needed.
He stated, “The Annual Programme for Standardisation 2025-26 will not only facilitate need-based standardisation with a focused strategic approach, ensuring that priority is given to subjects of special concern, but will also promote widespread adoption and seamless implementation of these standards.”
BIS works closely with ministries and industry associations through standardisation cells, aiming to identify gaps and participate in the formulation of national standards. Before the consultative meetings to prepare the APS for 2025-26, BIS conducted a comprehensive mapping exercise of Indian standards against various Government of India schemes and missions, along with a series of focus group meetings from August 24 to January 25.
The APS 2025-26 is expected to significantly enhance the formulation of priority standards, promoting wider adoption and seamless implementation across the manufacturing and service sectors, the official statement added.
BIS also carries out search and seizure operations to ensure that its certified standards are met by manufacturing companies. It carried out raids on multiple e-commerce companies this month and seized goods that did not meet these standards.
Under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, defaulters face a minimum penalty of Rs 2 lakh, which may increase to ten times the value of the goods sold or offered for sale. Furthermore, depending on the severity of the violation, offenders may also face imprisonment of up to two years.
(Inputs from IANS)
