The 76th Foundation Day of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was recently observed in New Delhi featuring a variety of initiatives launched by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. These initiatives are developed to foster a “Quality Culture” in the nation and facilitate the accessibility of information for industrial units and testing facilities.
Portal for Mapping of Industrial Units and Laboratories
A significant development is the introduction of a centralized platform for data on industrial units and laboratories across India. This platform will provide entrepreneurs with easy access to information about testing facilities and enable comprehensive analysis of these facilities.
Standards National Action Plan (SNAP) 2022 – 27
SNAP 2022 – 27 is a strategic document, designed to provide a robust foundation for standardization in rapidly evolving fields of technology. It also addresses concerns related to sustainability and climate change. This plan is envisaged as a key driver of India’s economic growth and will guide the country’s standardization efforts. The successful implementation of the recommendations and strategies outlined in SNAP will strengthen and enrich the national quality consciousness.
Revision Exercise of National Building Code of India 2016 (NBC 2016)
The BIS, which publishes the NBC, a “recommendatory document”, has initiated revision exercises for NBC 2016. State governments are anticipated to incorporate these revisions into their local building regulations. The revision includes the addition of Sustainable City Planning Norms, new Sustainable Building Materials, Design Concepts, Construction Technologies, and Building and Plumbing Services.
Revised National Electrical Code of India 2023 (NEC 2023)
BIS has crafted a comprehensive electrical installation code with NEC 2023 to provide guidelines for regulating electrical installation practices nationwide. The current revision integrates requirements reflecting the latest international best practices. NEC 2023 now includes new chapters addressing electrical installations at facilities including hospitals, community centers, hotels, amusement parks, and multi-story buildings.
Training Courses on National Building Code of India 2016 and National Electrical Code of India
BIS has prepared training courses on NBC 2016 and NEC 2023 through the National Institute of Training for Standardization (NITS), promoting capacity-building efforts at the national level.
Standards Clubs in Schools
BIS is implementing Standards Clubs in schools to familiarize students from 9th grade onwards with concepts related to Quality and Standardization. To date, BIS has launched over 4000 Standards Clubs across India and plans to establish 10,000 clubs by the end of 2022-23.
About Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
Established by the BIS Act of 1986, BIS is responsible for standardization, marking, and quality certification of goods. The organization operates under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. A new BIS Act, introduced in 2016 and effective from October 2017, recognizes BIS as the National Standards Body of India.
