Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Certification

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is India's national standards body established under the BIS Act, 2016. BIS operates a comprehensive product-certification ecosystem — Scheme-I (ISI Mark for domestic manufacturers), Scheme-II (Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics), FMCS (for foreign manufacturers), Scheme X (machinery), Hallmarking (for jewellery), Systems certification (management systems) and Eco Mark (environmentally friendly products). Together these schemes govern the safety, quality and interoperability of hundreds of product categories sold in India.

The Exim Roof runs a full-spectrum BIS practice — from ISI Mark on cement and steel through CRS for smartphones, FMCS for imported toys, Scheme X for machinery and Systems certification for management systems. Whichever scheme your product falls under, we take the licence application end-to-end.

BIS scheme decoded

• Scheme-I (ISI Mark) — the flagship BIS product-certification scheme for domestic manufacturers. Applies to ~200 mandatory product categories under Quality Control Orders.
• Scheme-II (CRS) — Compulsory Registration Scheme for electronics and IT products notified by MeitY. Model-wise registration on the BIS Manak Online portal.
• FMCS — Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme. Same standard mark but with AIR appointment for overseas factories.
• Scheme-X — Simplified certification procedure for machinery and electrical equipment safety.
• Hallmarking — Compulsory since 2021 for gold jewellery under the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery Regulations.
• Systems Certification — ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and other management-system certifications by BIS itself.

Regulatory framework

Every BIS licence is granted against a specific Indian Standard (IS). The IS defines the technical parameters, test methods and marking requirements for the product. Quality Control Orders issued by the Government of India progressively bring product categories into mandatory certification. Categories currently under mandatory QCO include cement, steel, aluminium, chemicals, toys, footwear, plywood, LPG cylinders, kitchenware, safety glass, footwear, PCB substrates, food-contact plastics, wheel rims and many more.

Who needs BIS certification?

Any manufacturer producing a QCO-covered product for the Indian market — domestic or overseas — must hold a BIS licence. Any importer of a QCO-covered product must ensure the overseas manufacturer holds a valid FMCS licence. Voluntary certification is common for products where a competitive advantage is sought — for example, food and cosmetics that use ISI-marked ingredients.

The generic BIS process

Stage one is scope mapping to the applicable IS. Stage two is factory-audit preparation — quality manual, process flow, test personnel, calibrated equipment. Stage three is BIS Manak Online application and scrutiny fee payment. Stage four is factory audit by BIS officers and sample sealing. Stage five is sample testing at a BIS-recognised laboratory. Stage six is licence grant. Post-grant, the licence must be maintained through surveillance audits, marking-fee payment against declared production, and prompt change endorsement for any material change.

How The Exim Roof helps

• Applicable-scheme identification (Scheme-I vs CRS vs FMCS vs Scheme-X).
• Full documentation build — quality manual, process flow, test list, calibration records.
• Factory-audit dry-run to close every findable gap.
• BIS Manak Online application and clarification response.
• Sample coordination with BIS-recognised laboratories.
• Licence renewals, scope expansions and change endorsements.