Mandatory certification
Topic: Consumer Rights and Consumer Protection · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 5 "Consumer Rights"
Meaning
Mandatory certification means a product must meet set standards and carry a certification mark before it can be sold. Most certification in India is voluntary, which is why many goods are sold without the ISI mark or Agmark. Certification is made compulsory for goods that affect health and safety or are of mass consumption. Today it works mainly through BIS Quality Control Orders (QCOs). QCOs improve quality and block sub-standard imports, but they raise input costs for small manufacturers.
Example
LPG cylinders, food colours and additives, cement and packaged drinking water must be certified before sale. A faulty cylinder or unsafe drinking water could harm many people.
Don't confuse with
- Voluntary certification: here, a producer chooses to apply for the mark, often to win buyers' trust. Uncertified goods can still be sold legally.