The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Textiles and Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, delivered a keynote address at the onboarding workshop for Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) technical committee members today at the National Institute for Training in Standardization (NITS).
Minister Goyal underscored the pivotal role of standards in bolstering domestic trade, enhancing export capabilities, fostering innovation, and ultimately contributing to national development. He emphasized that maintaining high-quality standards is paramount in India's pursuit of becoming a developed economy by 2047, aligning with the vision of ‘One Nation, One Ambition.’
Goyal urged the committee members to recognize their significant responsibility in shaping Indian Standards. He emphasized that these standards should prioritize sustainability, combat counterfeit goods, and support Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and startups in their journey to competitiveness.
Additionally, Goyal stressed the importance of standards in establishing a robust enforcement ecosystem and called for extensive consultation with all stakeholder groups during their development. He emphasized that Indian Standards should stay aligned with the latest technological advancements and meet or exceed international benchmarks, underlining India's aspiration to become the world's manufacturing hub and achieve self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat).
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), as the National Standards Body (NSB) of India, formulates Indian Standards through a consultative mechanism in technical committees. These committees bring together various stakeholders, including industry representatives, consumers, academicians, R&D institutes, technologists, and government authorities. The standards are meticulously crafted through a process that values openness, transparency, impartiality, and consensus.
Currently, there are approximately 400 standing technical committees within BIS, covering 16 broad technology areas and sectors. These areas range from core technologies to emerging fields such as Geospatial Information, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, E-mobility, Space Research, Smart Manufacturing, and Smart Farming. Technical committee members are instrumental in ensuring the effectiveness of the standardization process.
Their collaboration and contributions are vital in producing high-quality standards that meet both national and international requirements. Consequently, BIS maintains the dynamism of its Technical Committees by continually adding new members. In the 2023-24 fiscal year alone, more than 500 new members have joined various technical committees.
These new committee members, who are experts in their respective domains, are also expected to align with the vision, programs, priorities, and processes of national standardization. To facilitate this, BIS has initiated a series of onboarding workshops aimed at formalizing the induction of new committee members. These workshops serve as a platform to sensitize members about their roles and expectations within the committees and provide training on BIS standardization procedures. BIS plans to conduct four physical onboarding workshops at its National Institute for Training in Standardization in September and October 2023, with future workshops scheduled for all new committee members as they join BIS Technical Committees.
The commitment to high-quality standards and the inclusion of diverse stakeholders in the standardization process are critical components of India's growth strategy. With ongoing efforts to train and onboard new committee members, BIS remains dedicated to ensuring that Indian Standards continue to evolve and meet the needs of a rapidly advancing nation.
