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Quality Control Orders and Mandatory BIS Certification
ਖ਼ਬਰਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਉਂ?
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 ਮਿੰਟ
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.
ਸਰੋਤ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
ਮੁੱਖ ਤੱਥ
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.
ਪ੍ਰੀਲਿਮਜ਼ · ਮੇਨਜ਼
How the exam will ask it
ਪ੍ਰੀਲਿਮਜ਼
- 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.
ਮੇਨਜ਼
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
ਜਵਾਬ ਵੇਖੋ
ਜਵਾਬ: 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
A Quality Control Order (QCO), the regulatory tool used by the Government to make compliance with specified Indian Standards mandatory for selected products, converts what is normally which kind of certification into a mandatory one?
- Export-only certification
- Voluntary BIS certification
- State government licensing
- International ISO certification
ਜਵਾਬ ਵੇਖੋ
ਜਵਾਬ: B — Correct: Voluntary BIS certification — a QCO takes BIS certification, which is normally voluntary for most products, and makes it compulsory for the specified product category, in the public interest. • Export-only certification — wrong: QCOs cover domestic sale too. • State government licensing — wrong: BIS is a central body. • International ISO certification — wrong: QCOs concern Indian Standards, not ISO.
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