BIS Certification ensures that products conform to specific Indian Standards (IS). The most recognized mark is the ISI mark (Indian Standards Institution), which signifies that a product has undergone rigorous quality assessment and meets the safety and performance standards set by BIS. For businesses in Bangalore, the ISI mark builds consumer trust, credibility, and market confidence, assuring customers that products are safe, reliable, and compliant with Indian norms.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), India’s national standards body, was originally established in 1987 and now operates under the BIS Act, 2016, which modernized the framework for standardization, quality control, and certification. BIS is responsible for the harmonized development of standards, marking, and certification of goods, ensuring that products sold in India uphold safety and quality benchmarks.
In Bangalore, BIS plays a critical role through its Branch Office in Peenya Industrial Area. This office operates under the Southern Regional Office in Chennai, and its presence in the city ensures that businesses in Bangalore and the wider Karnataka region can comply with strict quality norms. From household appliances and construction materials to electronics and industrial goods, BIS certification ensures that businesses comply with strict quality norms, protecting consumers and promoting fair trade practices.
As of March 2025, over 769 products are covered under BIS certification, including 380 items under mandatory certification (split between the ISI mark scheme and the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS)), governed by 187 Quality Control Orders (QCOs). More than 1,000 other products are in various stages of mandatory certification. For Bangalore businesses, obtaining BIS certification is not just a legal requirement but also a strategic step to enhance credibility, consumer confidence, and long-term market competitiveness.
Why Your Products Need BIS in Bangalore: Safety, Quality, and Market Access
BIS Certification is critical for your products for three main reasons:
1. Safety and Consumer Protection
The primary goal of BIS certification is to protect consumers from hazardous, substandard, or counterfeit products. By ensuring a product meets a specific Indian Standard, it guarantees a certain level of safety and reliability.
For example, certified electrical appliances are tested to prevent hazards like electric shocks or fires.
2. Quality Assurance
For businesses, BIS certification is an external validation of a product's quality. It indicates that the product has been manufactured using an approved process and conforms to a set of defined quality parameters. This can lead to reduced product recalls, fewer customer complaints, and a stronger brand reputation.
3. Market Access and Legal Compliance
For numerous products, particularly those related to health, safety, and infrastructure, BIS certification is mandatory to legally sell them in India. These include items like,
- Cement
- Steel
- Tires
- Electronic goods
Without this certification, a company cannot sell or distribute these products in the Indian market, facing legal penalties and a business shutdown.
Who Needs BIS Certification in Bangalore?
As a major economic and industrial hub, Bangalore has a diverse range of manufacturers and importers who require BIS certification. This includes:
- Electronics and IT Manufacturers: Companies producing laptops, power adapters, mobile phones, LED lights, and other electronic devices must obtain certification under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) of BIS. Given Bangalore's status as India's "Silicon Valley," this is a particularly crucial sector.
- Construction and Infrastructure Companies: Producers of cement, steel, pipes, and other building materials need BIS certification to ensure the safety, durability, and compliance of infrastructure projects in Bangalore’s rapidly expanding urban landscape.
- Jewelers: Gold and silver jewelry must carry the BIS hallmark, which guarantees purity and authenticity. This certification is mandatory in Bangalore's significant jewelry market to build consumer trust and prevent fraudulent practices.
- Packaged Drinking Water & Beverages: FMCG giants and local manufacturers in Bangalore must comply with BIS certification to ensure the safety and quality of bottled water and other packaged beverages. This is essential for public health and consumer confidence.
- Medical Devices & PPE Kits: BIS has brought many healthcare products, including masks, gloves, and medical devices, under its certification framework to safeguard public health. This is an important requirement for the city's burgeoning medical and biotech industries.
- Chemicals & Plastics: With Bangalore being a key industrial center, many products in this sector require BIS certification to ensure safety, performance, and compliance with environmental standards.
- Foreign Importers: International companies importing regulated goods into Bangalore must secure BIS certification to gain access to the Indian market. This is a crucial step for the city's role as a global business destination.