Indian Standards Institution (ISI) was established on 6 January 1947 as a Registered Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Being the National Standards Body of India, the organization had a clear mandate of preparing and promoting Standards for adoption by Indian Industry.

Subsequently, for improving the Quality of Products and to provide the advantages of Standardization to common consumers, the Indian Standards Institution started operating the Certification Marks Scheme under the Indian Standards Institution (Certification Marks) Act, 1952. The Scheme was formally launched in 1955 and is popularly known as the ‘ISI Marking Scheme’.

(ISI Mark) on a product is granted to a manufacturer after assessing the Manufacturing and Testing Capabilities of the manufacturer as well as ensuring conformity of the product to the requirements of the relevant Indian Standard(s) through testing. During operation of Licence, surveillance visits of the licensees’ premises, testing of products drawn from factory and open market etc. are carried out by BIS to maintain a close vigil of the operation of the licence as well as the Quality of BIS certified goods

Although the Scheme is voluntary in nature, the Government of India on various considerations like public interest, protection of human, animal or plant health, safety of the environment, prevention of unfair trade practices, national security etc. has notified various products for compulsory compliance to Indian Standards through Quality Control Orders (QCOs)

In order to ensure enhanced consumer safety and compliance to statutory provisions, some of the products like Gas Cylinders, Regulators and Valves have been brought under the purview of Lot Inspection which requires each Lot or Batch of the product to be inspected by BIS before release of the product.

The presence of BIS Standard Mark on a product is an assurance of conformity of the product to the requirements of Indian Standard Specifications. The Conformity Assessment Schemes of BIS provides confidence to consumers about Quality, Safety and Reliability of products and ensures Consumer Protection.

This scheme is only for domestic manufacturers located in India. The purpose of this scheme is to give customers a third-party assurance of the quality, safety and reliability of products. The presence of the ISI Mark known as the standard mark on the product is assured to conform to the specifications. ISI mark on the product provides new thrust to standardization, quality control, safety and reliability of the product for the consumers. Under this scheme (Scheme-I of Schedule-II), local manufacturers can seek certification from BIS for use of Standard Mark on their products. The product certification scheme comprises of two processes i.e. Simplified Process and Normal Process.

Who can Apply:

Manufacturers (who is actually producing the goods) having their company within India can apply for domestic license. The company shall ensure below listed points before applying for said license: 

1. Conformation of their product according to suitable Indian Standard.
2. Have complete in-house manufacturing facility at the factory location.
3. Have complete in-house testing facility against the particular Indian Standard for which applicant would like to apply to obtain ISI Mark. Outsourcing is allowed up to some extent.
4. Have qualified & competent quality control staff in the manufacturer’s testing laboratory to test the desired product as per applicable Indian Standard.
5. Accept the Scheme of Testing & Inspection (STI).
6. Ready to pay the annual marking fee as decided by competent authority.
7. Separate application is required to be submitted for each product/Indian Standard and for factory location.

1. Application Form-V
2. BIS Govt. Fees receipts
3. Factory registration documents
4. Details of the in-house machinery and testing equipment’s. 
5. Recent calibration certificates in native as well as english language.
6. Flow chart and factory location map
7. Organizational chart and details of the quality control staff
8. Agreement copy, bank guarantee and Indemnity bond 
9. 3-D drawing of the product
10. Methods of disposal of sub-standard product

Note : The above list is for reference purpose only and may vary as per the actual case. 

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Certification body of India that issues BIS licenses to the manufacturers and importers for various products comes under BIS voluntary or mandatory certification schemes. BIS certification is a third-party assurance of the product's quality, the consumer's security, and the trustworthiness of BIS. The government of India established the Bureau of Indian Standards under the BIS Act, 1986, under the supervision of the Indian Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food, and Public Distribution.

Being a national agency BIS has responsibility for numerous certifications for maintaining the quality standard of the products in the Indian market. The Bureau of Indian Standards grants BIS certification to companies for products that meet quality standards under the Product Certification Scheme. Furthermore, this procedure conducted through the Bureau of India Standards helps businesses to establish a brand image for their product within the industry. Over the years, the BIS has been the second name in terms of authenticity and quality. After BIS Certification, producers can use their standard marking, on their BIS-certified products.

Whatever a consumer buys, from food to cars, from clothes to electronics, from branded items to non-branded ones, there is always a doubt in mind on how to determine whether they can trust the product or company. Are there any criteria using which one can determine the quality, luxury, or grade of the product that is to be purchased? If there are some parameters, then who decides these? How will your customers know they can trust your brand and its products? This is where BIS Certification comes into play.

BIS Certification (ISI Mark) in India is considered as a mark of trust for the buyers. A BIS Certificate from the Bureau of Indian Standards allows the manufacturers to assure the consumers about product quality, consumer safety, and trustworthiness. BIS Certification Scheme is a voluntary scheme; however, some products are covered under the mandatory certification scheme of BIS.

ISI is an acronym for Indian Standards Institute, the National Standards body renamed Bureau of Indian Standards in 1987. The ISI Mark is the official mark given to producers by the Bureau of Indian Standards for diverse items. This ISI Mark has been considered a symbol of quality, safety, and trust since 1955. The ISI mark has been used as conformity marking for industrial products. It assures that the product complies with the Indian standards (IS) developed by India's national standard organization, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

ISI Mark Registration is obtaining the ISI mark for any product that complies with Indian Standards. Various electrical appliances require mandatory ISI marks, such as Electric Iron, Room Heaters, Room AC, Electric Stoves, Freezers, Electric cables, and other products like UPVC Pipes, Rubber & Leather Footwears, Composite Cements, various acids, etc.

BIS, as a quality management organization, is responsible for providing quality certification as well as ensuring the quality, stability, and reliability of goods for end users. Whereas ISI Mark is a standard mark awarded by the Bureau of Indian Standards for the conformity of the product as per Indian standards. The ISI mark on the product indicates that a product matches the quality standard set by the BIS. Under the product certification scheme, BIS gives manufacturers a license to use the standard Mark (ISI Mark) on products that conform to applicable Indian standards. ISI Mark consisting of the Licence number as 'CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX' at the bottom of the ISI Mark and the Indian standard number at the top of the above ISI Mark.

The following are the basic requirements for obtaining a BIS licence, as listed below.

• The product must meet the Indian Standard Specification criteria.
• BIS license is only given to the factory (manufacturer of finished products), not to the Distributor/Retailer.
• If a manufacturer has multiple factories, each of which is located at a distinct geographical address, the business must file a separate application for each product and factory location.
• The laboratory should be fully equipped with product testing equipment as well as qualified quality control personnel to test the product in accordance with the applicable ISS.
• All production machinery and testing facilities should be located on the factory premises as per ISS norms and respective SIT.
• All procedures should be completed in the same factory, from receiving raw materials to final packing. If any out-sourcing is required, clearance from the Bureau may be requested.
• The technical guidelines are available for all products covered under the Product Certification Scheme as 'Product Manuals'. Product manuals include sampling guidelines, a list of test equipment, a Scheme of Inspection and Testing (SIT), a description of scope etc. Applicant can refer to this Product Manual for BIS ISI Certification to prepare for the audit and application submission so that chances of rejection can be avoided.

With ISI Mark Certification, companies and their products simply unlock the following motives:

• ISI Mark Certificate allows the manufacturers uninterrupted manufacturing and selling of their products in every part of India.
• BIS certification allows the manufacturers to use the Standard Mark i.e, ISI Mark on their manufactured products that are in the mandatory certification scheme. Manufacturing these products without an ISI Mark could result in a substantial fine, imprisonment or both.
• ISI Mark on any product ensures consumer's safety and health and develops trust.
• BIS certified product ensures high quality and consumer satisfaction, which increases revenue.

Do you know that ISI Mark Certification is mandatory in India for more than 150 products? Even though it is voluntary to get BIS license, the BIS made it compulsory to attain the certificate on certain products to make sure the safety of the consumers from counterfeits and fake merchandise.