Syllabus: GS2/ Governance, GS3/ Economy
Context
- To enable Indian firms to grow, integrate into global value chains and compete internationally, the Quality Control Order (QCO) reassessment exercise needs to move forward.
What are Quality Control Orders (QCOs)?
- QCOs are legal instruments issued under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016.
- They make it mandatory for both domestic and imported products to conform to specified Indian Standards.
- Products covered under QCOs cannot be sold in the Indian market without BIS certification, ensuring consumer safety, fair trade practices, and protection from substandard imports.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
- The Bureau of Indian Standards is the National Standards Body of India under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India.
- It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 which came into effect in 2017.
- Headquarters: New Delhi.
- Functions:
- Formulation of Indian Standards (IS) across many sectors.
- Product Certification Schemes, both voluntary and compulsory.
- Release of Quality Control Orders (QCOs): Making compliance with certain Indian Standards mandatory for some products.
- The schemes operated by BIS are, Product Certification (ISI mark), Management Systems Certification, Hall Marking of Gold and Silver Jewellery/Artefacts and Laboratory Services for the benefit of the industry and in turn aiming at consumer protection.
India’s Quality Ecosystem
- India has over 22,300 standards, with around 94% harmonised with international ISO and IEC standards.
- India ranked 10th in the Global Quality Infrastructure Index 2026.
- More than 700 products are under mandatory quality certification, while hundreds more are covered under voluntary certification.
- India’s quality ecosystem comprises;
- Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for standard-setting,
- Quality Council of India (QCI),
- National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL),
- National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB),
- Export Inspection Council (EIC),
- Sectoral regulators such as FSSAI and CDSCO, conformity assessment and certification bodies, testing laboratories, and market surveillance mechanisms etc.
Why Existing Arrangements Are Inadequate
- Fragmented Institutional Framework: Responsibilities for standards, certification, regulation, accreditation, and enforcement are spread across multiple ministries and agencies.
- Lack of coordination creates regulatory overlaps and accountability gaps.
- Overlapping Roles of BIS: The Bureau of Indian Standards performs standard-setting, certification, and some regulatory functions.
- Such concentration of functions may create conflicts between promotion, certification, and enforcement roles.
- Weak Market Surveillance: Regulations become ineffective if non-compliant products continue to circulate in markets.
- Surveillance capacities remain uneven across states and sectors.
- Export-Quality Challenges: Export quality regulation is fragmented among agencies such as Export Inspection Council, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, commodity boards, and other regulators.
- Promotion and regulation often coexist within the same institutions, creating potential conflicts.
- Limited International Recognition: Compliance with Indian standards does not automatically ensure acceptance in foreign markets.
- Indian certifications often require additional verification abroad, increasing export costs.
Government Initiatives Promoting Quality
- Quality Control Orders (QCOs): Introduced to ensure that products meet prescribed quality and safety standards. It covers sectors such as steel, chemicals, electronics, footwear, and toys.
- Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) Scheme: Encourages MSMEs to adopt quality manufacturing practices while minimising environmental impact.
- Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme Supports domestic manufacturing while incentivising firms to achieve global quality benchmarks.
- National Quality Mission: Promotes quality consciousness across industries and public institutions.
- One District One Product (ODOP): Encourages standardisation, branding, and quality enhancement of local products.
Way Ahead
- Improve Testing Infrastructure: Expand accredited laboratories and certification facilities to strengthen quality assessment and compliance.
- Establish a National Authority on Quality: Create a dedicated apex body to provide a whole-of-government approach to quality governance by coordinating standards, certification, accreditation, regulation, and enforcement across sectors.
- Streamline Export Certification: Rationalise multiple export-certification agencies to reduce duplication and simplify compliance for exporters.
- Separate Key Functions: Standard-setting, certification, regulation, and enforcement should be handled independently to enhance transparency and accountability.
- Enhance Global Integration: Increase participation in international standard-setting bodies and pursue mutual recognition arrangements for Indian certifications.
Conclusion
- India’s next phase of quality reforms should move beyond merely increasing the number of standards and certifications.
- The focus must shift toward building a credible, trusted, and internationally recognised quality governance system that supports consumer protection, export competitiveness, and the goal of becoming a global manufacturing hub.
Source: TH
