Jamshedpur, June 27: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Jamshedpur Branch Office on Friday held an Industry Meet-cum-Sensitization Programme aimed at promoting quality compliance and encouraging wider adoption of BIS certification among industries. The event, held at Hotel Ramada in Bistupur, attracted 110 representatives from various manufacturing sectors.
The programme targeted two key segments – manufacturers who are yet to obtain BIS licences, and current licensees producing additional items that fall under mandatory certification.
Kunal Kumar, Director and Head of BIS Jamshedpur, opened the session by underlining the importance of quality standards for product safety and national competitiveness. He noted that over 750 products are presently covered under mandatory BIS certification and stressed the rising number of Quality Control Orders (QCOs) issued in recent years. These span product categories including Cast Iron, Aluminium, Copper, Footwear, Toys, Ferro Alloys, Electrical Appliances and Furniture.
“Manufacturers must align with national standards, not just for regulatory compliance, but also to meet the expectations of a global marketplace,” Kumar said, urging stakeholders to view BIS’s weekly ‘Standard Watch’ bulletin for regular updates.
The session featured special addresses by Braj Bihari Prasad, Quality Head, Tube Division, Tata Steel Ltd., and Santokh Singh, Vice President of the Adityapur Small Scale Industrial Area Association.
Prasad spoke about Tata Steel’s experience with BIS collaboration and assured support to MSMEs in implementing new standards. “We are committed to facilitating the implementation of QCOs in the region,” he said.
Singh called upon non-licensee manufacturers—particularly those producing Cast Iron components and Ferro Alloys—to promptly seek certification to avoid future compliance issues.
Technical sessions followed, covering the structure and functioning of BIS, certification procedures, and the online Manakonline portal. BIS scientists Kaushalendra Kumar, Prabhunath Yadav, and Dilip Chattar led detailed presentations on licensing requirements, product categorization, fee structures, and conditions applicable to certified manufacturers.
The event received strong engagement from attendees, with at least 10 industry participants expressing their intention to begin the BIS certification process.
Key topics included the role of BIS, benefits of standardization, ISI mark licensing, and timelines for inspection and certification.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks and was widely praised as a constructive interface between regulators and industry stakeholders.
