Soon, hallmark for 24 carat gold jewellery, LEDS

NEW DELHI: The country’s apex product and services quality certification watchdog, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), will soon be introducing hallmarking standards for jewellery made from 24 carat gold.

It will become mandatory for jewellers to ensure that their products bear the hallmark for the convenience of the buyers.

At present, quality certification of jewellery made of 14, 18 and 22 carat gold by the jewellers by way of hallmarking is mandatory under the BIS Act, 2016.

The agency has also been asked to frame performance standards for LED bulbs.

So far, the BIS lays rules for making LED bulb manufacturers and traders liable for the safety of these bulbs but it does not specify their accountability on the performance. The new standards for jewellery and LED bulbs are likely to be in place by January, consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Wednesday.

Till now BIS standards are in place for 19,000 products and services, and the number of jewellers are pegged at around 20,000 in the country. “Earlier jewellers would not make ornaments from 24 carat gold. But since the technology for the same is available, 24 carat gold is being used for making jewellery and its use is likely to go up in the future,” said the minister.

Paswan said that BIS has been asked to formulate hallmarking standards for ornaments made of 24 carat gold also.

“We have also asked the BIS to set up best test laboratories of international standard for giving certification. BIS Act also has provision for the self certification which the producers can opt for,” the minister said after addressing the first meeting of the governing council of the agency ever since the enactment of the BIS Act 2016.