The National Test House (NTH) to continue to modernize, engage globally, and explore new frontiers such as hydrogen energy, smart materials, advanced electronics, digital testing, and AI-driven certification, said the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, while addressing the 114th Foundation Day celebrations of NTH here today. He added that these future-ready initiatives align with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and India’s goal of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

He informed that NTH is modernizing its operations through digital initiatives. The Laboratory Data Automation System (LDAS) will minimize manual errors, reduce turnaround time, and enable faster completion of quality tests, thereby increasing capacity and efficiency. Additionally, a new mobile application will allow industry and consumers to conveniently access NTH’s laboratory services, streamlining interactions with stakeholders.

Shri Joshi lauded NTH’s strong growth in recent years, noting a 60.36% increase in sample testing with 45,926 samples tested in 2024–25, along with a 49.89% rise in revenue, reaching ₹44.45 crore in 2024-25 compared to ₹29.66 crore in the previous year. For the first time, NTH has also instituted annual awards to recognize outstanding contributions of its scientists and staff, reflecting its commitment to excellence and motivation.

The Union Minister presented NTH Annual Excellence Awards 2025 along with Special Recognition to High-Value Clients. This year’s awardees included the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Eastern Regional Office, Kolkata; M/s Kansai Nerolac Paints, Mumbai; Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation (TNTBESC); Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Rajasthan; Uttar Pradesh Jal Jeevan Mission (UPJJM); and NBCC (India) Limited, Guwahati. These organizations were honored for their trust, collaboration, and contribution towards strengthening India’s testing and quality assurance framework.

On the occasion, Shri Joshi inaugurated several state-of-the-art testing facilities aimed at strengthening India’s industrial ecosystem and providing future-ready services. These included the Electric Vehicle Testing Facility at NTH (ER), Kolkata, designed to test EV batteries, charging systems, and vehicles, ensuring safety, efficiency, and competitiveness in line with India’s clean mobility mission; the Drone Testing Facility at NTH (NR), Ghaziabad, which will provide a one-stop solution for testing and certification of drones for defence, agriculture, logistics, and surveillance; and the Chemical Testing Laboratory at NTH (NR), Ghaziabad, which will enhance India’s capabilities in chemical safety, industrial materials testing, and environmental monitoring, and in future, support organic food testing to meet the requirements of farmers and exporters.

The Minister also issued the first drone certificates to two Indian manufacturers, marking a new chapter in drone certification in the country. He underlined that certification services are being provided at a nominal cost, reflecting NTH’s deep commitment to supporting the emerging domestic drone industry and ensuring its global competitiveness.

To broaden its collaborative framework, NTH signed multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading organizations. These include an MoU with CIPET to strengthen capabilities in plastics and petrochemicals testing; with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) to advance certification and testing of solar panels, wind turbines, and renewable energy equipment, supporting India’s green energy transition; with the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to promote quality-driven infrastructure financing and the adoption of reliable, certified technologies in the power sector; with Casagrand to ensure quality assurance in infrastructure and real estate, promoting sustainable construction practices; and with Jaipur University to deepen academia-industry collaboration, promote joint research, skill development, and knowledge exchange.

These collaborations highlight NTH’s emerging role as a national partner in innovation, quality, and sustainability, bringing together government, industry, academia, and financial institutions to strengthen India’s ecosystem of quality and technological advancement.

The Union Minister added that the retail inflation rate at 1.55% in July, 2025 is the lowest inflation rate after June, 2017, which means lowest inflation in nearly 8 years.

Shri Joshi talked about Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call of “Zero Defect, Zero Effect” which means ‘No compromise in Quality and No Negative Impact on The Environment’. He said that soon India will become third largest economies in the world, thereby giving way to world class testing services for which NTH should be prepared.

Concluding his address, Shri Joshi said that the 114-year journey of NTH is a matter of national pride. From its humble beginnings to today’s advanced facilities and global outlook, the institution continues to stand as a pillar of trust, quality, and scientific progress. The new initiatives launched today reaffirm NTH’s commitment to building a safer, more innovative, and self-reliant India.

Established in 1911 in Alipore, Kolkata, as the Government Test House, NTH has evolved into India’s oldest and most trusted institution in testing, certification, and quality assurance. Over its journey of more than a century, it has had the association of eminent scientists including Sir C.V. Raman, Dr. S. Venkateswaran, Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, and Dr. Krishnan, who contributed to its scientific growth and national relevance.

Present on the occasion was Union Minister of State for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri B.L. Verma, Secretary Department of Consumer Affairs, Smt. Nidhi Khare and other officers.

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Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

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