Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards body of India working under the aegis of Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India. BIS is serving the industries and consumers of India since its inception in 1947 when it was known as Indian Standards Institution (ISI) through its Conformity Assessment, Laboratory Services, Hallmarking and other schemes. The ISI mark has become synonymous with the word ‘quality’ for almost every household in India. The Hallmarking scheme has given the consumer the highest degree of assurance for purity of gold. BIS has recently taken a noble initiative to create quality consciousness through a vibrant group of young brand ambassadors by creating Standards Clubs in educational institutions comprising of teachers and students as members. Through diverse activities under these Clubs, young talents get learning opportunities in the field of quality and standardization. BIS has created almost 10000 Standards Clubs in India.

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day 2026, with the theme “Safe Products, Confident Consumers”, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Ahmedabad organized a series of awareness programmes throughout the month of March in coordination with various stakeholders across the State of Gujarat. The celebrations culminated in a grand event held on 16 March 2026 at Ahmedabad Management Association, Ahmedabad.

The programme started with lamp lighting along with  Manak Geet by the dignitaries.

Shri Sumit Sengar, in his welcome address, highlighted the pivotal role played by BIS in consumer protection since Independence and emphasized the importance of standards in ensuring the safety, quality, and reliability of goods and services. He also appreciated the contribution of various stakeholders and shared experiences from recent consumer awareness drives on jewellery hallmarking conducted in collaboration with jewellers’ associations and toy safety awareness initiatives carried out with toy associations.

Dr. Sunil Parekh, Chairman, Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC), in his address, emphasized the importance of protecting consumers by ensuring that goods and services available in the market are safe, fair, and reliable, and highlighted the need for greater awareness among consumers regarding quality standards.

The programme also featured an insightful presentation by Dr. Anindita Mehta, CEO, CERC on Consumer Product Safety, where she shared key findings and outcomes of consumer safety surveys conducted by CERC.

As part of the event, a “Manak Samvad” session was also organized for new BIS licence holders, where BIS officials provided guidance on certification procedures and demonstrated the use of the BIS online portal for routine activities and compliance requirements.

During the programme, BIS Licence Certificates were also distributed to newly granted licence holders. Special recognition was given to the firm  having achieved the All India First Licence for the respective product .

Further, Shri Vipin Bhaskar, Scientist ‘D’/Joint Director, BIS, delivered a presentation on the Role of Standards in Consumer Protection, highlighting how standardization contributes to ensuring safe and reliable products in the market.

The event was successfully coordinated and anchored by Shri Ajay Chandel, Scientist-C/Deputy Director, BIS Ahmedabad.

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