ISI Mark: Full Form, Product List, Certifications, Importance & More for Exam Preparation

History of ISI mark

The ISI mark was introduced in India in the year 1955 for various products. The initial name of the organization was Indian Standards Institution (ISI) which was renamed as Bureau of Indian Standards in the year 1987. 

Components of an ISI mark

ISI marks have various components which ensure the genuineness of the mark some of which are listed below:

• Logo: Any ISI mark which is genuine must have the genuine logo of the ISI.
• License Number: There must be a 7 digit license number required by the Bureau of Indian standards to be put on the ISI mark by the manufacturer.
• IS Number: This Indian Standards number which is to be on the top of the ISI mark to ensure that the product is in compliance with the Indian Standards.

How can one Apply for an ISI mark for their Products?

There are two ways in which the manufacturer can put the ISI mark on their products which are listed below: 

• Any manufacturer can submit an application for ISI marks then afterwards a BIS officer will come for evaluation of the product and various other processes related to manufacturing of the product and if the results of the evaluation are satisfactory then the product will be certified as ISI marked.
• Another method to obtain an ISI mark for the product is that the manufacturer from his side sends the various reports related to tests that are to be done by the inspector. The BIS is supposed to check the authenticity of the reports submitted by the manufacturer and afterwards send the necessary documents for certification. This whole process needs to be done within one month.

For which products ISI Standards are mandatory

Till now there are 16 categories of products for which BIS standards are mandatory. Some of the categories are listed below:

• Textiles
• Packaged Water
• Food
• Automobile
• Plastic product
• Electronics

What after a Manufacturer has gained the license

Once the manufacturer has gained the license then it is mandatory for him to regulate as per the standards for which he has gained the license. BIS regularly the standards for which they have granted especially for those products which have a high demand in the market. BIS can also do a surprise inspection and sample testing of the products which are manufactured or available in the market and if they are not up to the standards then strict action will be taken against the company.

Importance of ISI mark

ISI marking on particular products is mandatory because it is the only indicator if the product is safe or not for use. It is more important and mandatory in the case of electrical equipment as any default in these would be life-threatening to the consumers. The ISI marks are important in the case for the foreign consumer who needs to establish their market in our country. Any foreign company needs to satisfy the standards as per the BIS in order to sell their products in our country.

Other Certification Marks in India

Apart from ISI marks, there are various other standards marks that are necessary to be on the products in order to be sold legally in India. Various other certification marks in India are listed below. All these standards marks are governed under the Bureau of Indian Standards.

• AGMARK for various agricultural products in India.
• HALLMARK for gold jewellery which certifies that the product is a minimum of 22 carats of gold.
• FPO for all food processed products in India
• Indian organic certification marks
• Non-polluting vehicle marks
• FSSAI for all edible mark
• Eco mark: Ecolabel 
• Silk Mark for all pure silk products in India
• Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarians Marks

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