BIS Update: Compulsory use of Standard Mark for Certain Electrical Appliances

There is a key distinction between the scope of the September 2024 QCO and the present QCO.

The September 2024 QCO applied to all electrical appliances intended for household, commercial, or similar use, with rated voltage not exceeding 250V for single-phase alternating current (“AC”) or 415V for three-phase AC.

In contrast, the current QCO applies to all electrical appliances intended for household, commercial or similar application with rated voltage not exceeding 250 V for single-phase appliances and 480 V for other appliances, including direct current supplied appliances and battery operated appliances.

While the September 2024 QCO envisioned implementation on the following timelines.

• For micro enterprises:  March 17, 2025.
• For small enterprises:  June 17, 2025.
• For all enterprises other than micro and small enterprises:  September 17, 2025

The present QCO has the following timelines for implementation.

• For micro enterprises:  March 19, 2026. For small enterprises:  June 19, 2026.
• For all enterprises other than micro and small enterprises:  September 19, 2026.

• Goods manufactured domestically for export;
• Goods covered under any other QCO issued by the Government of India;
• Imports of up to 200 goods/articles if imported for R&D by manufacturers of household and similar electrical appliances, subject to additional requirements including a prohibition on being sold commercially;
• Goods manufactured or imported before the implementation date, provided the manufacturer has applied for or obtained BIS certification. Such stock can be sold for up to six months post-implementation, subject to a declaration being filed with BIS.

Notably, the September 2024 QCO did not provide for the exemption regarding goods manufactured or imported before the implementation date.

To obtain the necessary certification from the BIS, both foreign producers and domestic manufacturers of these appliances/machines would need to submit a formal application to the BIS. Furthermore, the process of certification will also require physical testing and inspection of the relevant product at the factory premises as well as parallel testing by a BIS authorized laboratory in India to verify the same. BIS certification is a time-consuming process and therefore it is recommended that interested producers make applications for certification at the earliest, in order to obtain certification by the date when the QCO comes into force.