← 29 September 2026's Current Affairs · Economy GA Prelims ★★★★★ Mains ★★★☆☆
Quality Control Orders and Mandatory BIS Certification
ಸುದ್ದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಏಕೆ?
Voluntary for most goods, compulsory for some: how a QCO changes BIS certification, a GS-III staple
A Quality Control Order makes BIS certification, normally voluntary, mandatory for a specified product category in the public interest.
Why it matters: asked in UPSC 2017; factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 ನಿಮಿಷ
Quality Control Orders (QCOs) are government regulations that make compliance with specified Indian Standards mandatory for selected products in the public interest.
Certification by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is normally voluntary for most goods, but a QCO converts it into a compulsory requirement for the notified product category.
QCOs are used to curb the sale of substandard goods and are periodically expanded to cover new categories of products.
ಮೂಲಗಳು: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅಂಶಗಳು
Remember these
- A Quality Control Order (QCO) makes compliance with specified Indian Standards mandatory for a notified product category, in the public interest.
- BIS certification is normally voluntary for most goods; a QCO converts it into a compulsory requirement.
- The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national standards body; it issues Indian Standards and the ISI mark.
- QCOs are used to curb the sale of substandard goods and are periodically expanded to new product categories.
- Syllabus link: GS-III Economy, industrial policy, standards and regulation.
ಪ್ರಿಲಿಮ್ಸ್ · ಮೇನ್ಸ್
How the exam will ask it
ಪ್ರಿಲಿಮ್ಸ್
- A Quality Control Order makes compliance with specified Indian Standards mandatory for the notified products.
- BIS certification is compulsory for all goods sold in India even without a QCO. (Incorrect: it is normally voluntary and becomes mandatory only for products notified under a QCO.)
- QCOs are aimed at curbing the sale of substandard goods and can be expanded to cover new product categories.
- The Bureau of Indian Standards is the central body whose Indian Standards a QCO makes mandatory.
ಮೇನ್ಸ್
GS-III (Economy): QCOs address the problem of substandard goods reaching consumers by turning voluntary BIS standards into a legal requirement for notified products. The policy protects consumer safety and quality but can raise compliance costs, affect input availability for MSMEs and act as a non-tariff barrier on imports. The way forward is a calibrated approach: consult industry, ensure testing capacity, and review QCOs periodically to balance quality with competitiveness.
PYQ connection
A question UPSC has already asked on this
Consider the following statements:
- The Standard Mark of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is mandatory for automotive tyres and tubes.
- AGMARK is a quality Certification Mark issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
ಉತ್ತರ ನೋಡಿ
ಉತ್ತರ: A
Why this matters: today's issue is directly connected to a concept UPSC has already tested. Read the story with this question in mind.
Practise this PYQ →Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
ನಿರ್ದಿಷ್ಟ ಉತ್ಪನ್ನಗಳಿಗೆ ಭಾರತೀಯ ಮಾನಕಗಳ ಅನುಸರಣೆಯನ್ನು ಕಡ್ಡಾಯಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಗುಣಮಟ್ಟ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ ಆದೇಶ (QCO), ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಯಾವ ರೀತಿಯ ಪ್ರಮಾಣೀಕರಣವನ್ನು ಕಡ್ಡಾಯವಾಗಿ ಪರಿವರ್ತಿಸುತ್ತದೆ?
- ರಫ್ತು-ಮಾತ್ರ ಪ್ರಮಾಣೀಕರಣ
- ಸ್ವಯಂಪ್ರೇರಿತ BIS ಪ್ರಮಾಣೀಕರಣ
- ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಪರವಾನಗಿ
- ಅಂತಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ISO ಪ್ರಮಾಣೀಕರಣ
ಉತ್ತರ ನೋಡಿ
ಉತ್ತರ: B — ಸರಿ: ಸ್ವಯಂಪ್ರೇರಿತ BIS ಪ್ರಮಾಣೀಕರಣ — ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಉತ್ಪನ್ನಗಳಿಗೆ BIS ಪ್ರಮಾಣೀಕರಣ ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಸ್ವಯಂಪ್ರೇರಿತವಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ; QCO ಅದನ್ನು ನಿರ್ದಿಷ್ಟ ಉತ್ಪನ್ನ ವರ್ಗಕ್ಕೆ ಕಡ್ಡಾಯಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. • ರಫ್ತು-ಮಾತ್ರ — ತಪ್ಪು: QCO ದೇಶೀಯ ಮಾರಾಟಕ್ಕೂ ಅನ್ವಯಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. • ರಾಜ್ಯ ಪರವಾನಗಿ — ತಪ್ಪು: BIS ಒಂದು ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ. • ISO ಪ್ರಮಾಣೀಕರಣ — ತಪ್ಪು: QCO ಭಾರತೀಯ ಮಾನಕಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದ್ದು, ISOಗಲ್ಲ.
Convert this topic into marks
Today's 10-MCQ test · instant analysis · Powered by AdaptIQ