The ISI mark is a standards-compliance mark for industrial products in India since 1955. The mark certifies that a product conforms to an Indian standard (IS) developed by the
Bureau of Indian Standards
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standar ...
(BIS), the national standards body of India. The ISI mark is by far the most recognised certification mark in the Indian subcontinent. The ''ISI'' is an
initialism
An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
of ''Indian Standards Institution'', the name of the national standards body until 1 January 1987, when it was renamed to the Bureau of Indian Standards. The ISI mark is mandatory for certain products to be sold in India, such as many of the electrical appliances like switches,
electric motors
An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate force ...
, wiring cables, heaters,
kitchen appliances
A home appliance, also referred to as a domestic appliance, an electric appliance or a household appliance, is a machine which assists in household functions such as cooking, cleaning and food preservation.
Appliances are divided into three ...
, etc., and other products like
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world as a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco, and non-specialty grout. It was developed from other types of hydraulic lime in England in the early 19th c ...
,
LPG valves, LPG cylinders,
automotive tyres, etc. In the case of most other products, ISI marks are optional.
Counterfeiting
It is very common in India to find products with fake ISI marks. That is, industrial traders cheat customers by affixing ISI marks on the product without actually certified. Fake ISI marks usually do not carry
:(i) the mandatory 7-digit licence number (of the format CM/L-''xxxxxxx'', where ''x'' signifies a digit from the licence number) required by BIS; and
:(ii) the IS number on top of the ISI mark which signifies the Indian standard a particular product is in compliance with.
For example, if a
kitchen grinder's box has a small ISI mark on it with the ISI code of the appliance's wire, one can conclude that the wire is BIS-certified but the appliance itself is not an BIS-certified product. Counterfeiting ISI marks is a punishable offence by the law, but enforcement is uncommon.
See also
*
Certification marks in India
India has a comprehensive system of product certifications governed by laws made by the Parliament of India at various times. These certifications are managed by various agencies, and hold various statuses before the law. Some of these marks are m ...
Notes
References
{{Reflist9
ISI Mark Certification Process, Documents Required, and list of the Products under BIS Certification Scheme- Aleph INDIA
Certification marks in India
Industry in India
Standards of India