The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) organised a National Workshop on “Durability Design and Quality Assurance of Concrete as per IS 456:2025 (Draft)” on 9 May 2026 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The workshop brought together stakeholders from the construction industry, academia, research institutions and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to deliberate on durability-centric concrete design and key revisions proposed in IS 456.

A key highlight of the workshop was the launch of the Six-Month Online Certification Programme on Advanced Concrete Technology (ACT), aligned with the Government of India’s skill development mission. Head-CCE, NCB, Dr. Brijesh Singh, said the 25-week hybrid programme includes weekend online sessions along with a four-day on-site module at NCB Ballabgarh, covering mix design, durability, QA/QC systems, RMC operations and advanced sustainable concretes.

The concluding panel discussion on “Are we ready to implement IS 456:2025?” focused on industry preparedness, implementation challenges and the need for capacity building. The session was moderated by Joint Director, NCB, Er. Amit Trivedi, with experts emphasizing performance-based specifications and strengthened quality assurance practices. Head-CIS, NCB, Shri G. J. Naidu, proposed the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the event.

The programme was inaugurated by Director, CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Prof. Pradeep Kumar Ramancharla, as Chief Guest, in the presence of Deputy Director General (Standardization), Bureau of Indian Standards, Er. Sanjay Pant, as Guest of Honour, and Director General, National Council for Cement and Building Materials, Dr. L. P. Singh.

Technical sessions featured Joint Director, NCB, Er. P. N. Ojha; Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Prof. Manu Santhanam; Ex-Joint Director, NCB, Er. V. V. Arora; and Chairman, Tandon Consultants Private Limited, Prof. Mahesh Tandon. The experts shared insights on durability design, construction materials, QA/QC systems and prestressed concrete provisions aligned with the draft code.

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Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas