BIS Full Form and Functions

BIS full form is Bureau of Indian Standards. As the name suggests, BIS is the National Standards Body of India. It is a part of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. 

In this blog post, we shall describe what BIS is all about, its headquarters, regional offices, functions and more. 

What is the Full Form of BIS?

BIS full form is Bureau of Indian Standards. It is the national standards body of India, and was established under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act of 1986. The erstwhile Act of 1986 was replaced by the BIS Act of 2016. Originally, BIS was known as the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), established under the Resolution of the Department of Industries and Supplies No. 1 Std.(4)/45, dated September 3, 1946. The ISI was registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. 

As the national standards body of India, BIS is responsible for setting and promoting national standards for various products and services in India, such as gold, silver, electronics, helmets, food and chemicals among others, to ensure safety, quality, environmental protection and fair trade. In addition to this, BIS issues certifications for various products and systems to make sure they meet the relevant standards. 

For consumers who want to file complaints against defective items or services, BIS has a dedicated Consumer Affairs Department. BIS is a member of organizations, such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). To promote standardization, it partners with various national and international organizations.

BIS Headquarters and Regional Offices

The headquarters of BIS are located at: Manak Bhavan, 9, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi - 110002. Apart from this, BIS has regional offices in the following cities:

• Eastern Region Office: It is located at Kolkata, West Bengal.

• Southern Region Office: It is situated at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

• Western Region Office: This BIS office is located at Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• Northern Region Office: The Northern Region Office of BIS is located at Chandigarh - the capital of the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana.

• Central Region Office: It is located in New Delhi - the capital of India. 

Functions of BIS

BIS strives to promote the harmonious growth of the standards movement in India, and aims to improve the quality of Indian goods and services to boost their supply and purchase. Here are the primary functions of the Indian standards body:

• One of the primary functions of BIS is to establish, recognize and promote the Indian standards for consumer devices, industrial products, etc.

• BIS issues hallmark certificates for gold items to make sure such items meet prescribed standards of purity and fineness. As a result, it protects consumers from adulteration and ensures they get the quality they paid for.

• BIS keeps an eye on firms to make sure they comply with the standards and norms. If the firms fail to meet them, BIS takes actions against them and can even cancel their BIS certification. 

• By ensuring businesses comply with safety standards, BIS protects consumers from hazardous products. For instance, BIS mandates certain product categories to carry ISI marks, such as helmets, to make sure they meet BIS safety standards.

• To educate and create awareness among the consumers and businesses in India regarding the BIS standards, the Bureau of Indian Standards conducts awareness programs and workshops from time to time.

• It implements conformity assessment schemes to ensure products sold and manufactured in the country comply with the required quality and safety standards

• It recognizes laboratories for conducting tests for product conformity to Indian Standards. For this purpose, BIS has  BIS has constituted these laboratories across India: (a) Central Laboratory (CL), Sahibabad, (b) Western Regional Office Laboratory (WROL), Mumbai, (c) Northern Regional Office Laboratory (NROL), Mohali, (d) Eastern Regional Office Laboratory (EROL), Kolkata, (f) Southern Regional Office Laboratory (SROL), Chennai, (g) Bangalore Branch Office Laboratory (BNBOL), Bangalore, (h) Patna Branch Office Laboratory (PBOL), Patna, and (i) Guwahati Branch Office Laboratory (GBOL), Guwahati.

• One of the key roles of BIS is to represent India at an international level in bodies like ISO.

• By aligning the Indian products with the global standards, BIS facilitates trade and promotes export of such products.

Conclusion

BIS stands for Bureau of Indian Standards. It was established under the BIS Act 1986. The Act has now been replaced by BIS Act 2016. The role of BIS involves setting up standards and guidelines for various products, issuing hallmark certificates and providing third-party assurance of product quality and safety via conformity assessment schemes. Want to secure a BIS certification for your business’ goods and services? Connect with Registrationwala for assistance! We’ll help you to collect all the necessary documents and assist in the application process to get your business’ products/services get BIS-approved!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Who is the President of BIS?

A. BIS President is Shri Prahlad Joshi.

Q2. What is BIS full form in customs?

A. In customs, BIS full form is Bureau of Indian Standards.

Q3. What was BIS originally known as?

A. BIS was originally known as the Indian Standards Institution. 

Q4. Who are the Vice Presidents of BIS?

A. The Vice Presidents of BIS are Shri B.L. Verma and Smt. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya.

Q5. Who is the Director General of BIS?

A. The Director General of BIS is Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari.

Q6. Is the BIS hallmark mandatory?

A. Yes, it is mandatory for gold jewellery in India.

Q7. How to file a BIS complaint online?

A. To file a complaint online with BIS, you can visit the BIS website or use the BIS care app. You can also write a complaint to the public grievance officer or the head of consumer affairs department, depending on the type of complaint.

Q8. Where is the head office of BIS?

A. The BIS head office is located at Manak Bhavan, 9, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi - 110002.

Q9. How many regional offices does BIS have?

A. BIS has 5 regional offices located across different cities in India. They are: Eastern Region Office at Kolkata, Southern Region Office at Chennai, Western Region Office at Mumbai, Northern Region Office at Chandigarh and Central Region Office at New Delhi.

Q10. Under which Ministry does the BIS function?

A. The BIS functions under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.