• It's time to embark on Mission "One Nation One Standard" and make India the leader in setting global benchmarks in setting standards. So feels the government. 

    • "Like 'one nation, one ration card', India is going to have 'one nation, one standard' in order to ensure quality products in the country.

    • Government also understands that all areas of production and services be included in this national mission, bringing a national uniformity and standardization in all kinds of public procurement and tendering can be an immediate deliverable.

    • Currently, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the only national body that frames standards.

    • It has come out with over 20,000 standards for various products and services so far. 

    • There are also about 50-odd agencies that have framed about 400 standards in the country.

    • The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) has set standards on food, while Automobile Research Organisation of India makes standards for the automobile sector. These standards need to be converged with BIS and redesignate them as one. This will help in easy implementation and monitoring of standards.

    • Piyush Goyal the minister for Consumer Affairs said that strength & character of nation is often exemplified by the standards it sets for the quality of its products and services.  Its time for India to settle for nothing less than the best.

    • Towards this, modern equipments and latest technologies should be used and Gap analysis of BIS and Government labs be taken up on priority basis as well.

    • Gap analysis refers to the comparison of actual performance with potential or desired performance.

    • Currently there is a nagging issue of different Institutions and PSUs having variety of non-uniform standards. 

    • BIS Deputy Director said the entire process will take time and it will depend how soon other agencies are willing to converge with BIS.

About BIS

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standard Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016 for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

BIS has been providing traceability and tangibility benefits to the national economy in a number of ways

    • providing safe reliable quality goods

    • minimizing health hazards to consumers

    • promoting exports and imports substitute

    • control over proliferation of varieties etc. through standardization, certification and testing.

BIS has its Headquarters at New Delhi and its 05 Regional Offices (ROs) are at Kolkata (Eastern), Chennai (Southern), Mumbai (Western), Chandigarh (Northern) and Delhi (Central).

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)