When it comes to BIS certification, one of the initial questions that every manufacturer or importer would ask is: How long will this take? The truth really depends on what applies to your product, but a realistic estimate of the time frame is important to plan production and imports and anticipate market launches without any unpleasant surprises.
The reason the timeline is not consistent for everyone
The BIS certification isn’t a standardised approach. It is applied to various schemes depending on the product category, and has different testing requirements, inspection requirements and documentation standards for each of the different schemes. The process of registering LED lights under CRS is a vastly different experience from what a company would go through to register pressure cookers under ISI Mark, or a foreign company dealing with the FMCS. If you don’t know which scheme you are under, then you cannot have any kind of realistic expectations.
The following is a timeline of the development of electronics and IT products
The Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) is generally the most expedient scheme to obtain certification. Normally, it takes 3-6 weeks from the date of application to the date of registration for CRS. This is one reason why CRS is moving quicker, as there’s no need to inspect the factory; everything has to be tested at a BIS-recognised lab before the report is sent online.
The ISI Mark Timeline is designed for domestic manufacturers
In the case of products that must be given the ISI Mark, like cement, steel or household products, the process is much longer than CRS. Typically, Indian manufacturers can expect the ISI Mark certification process to be conducted within 2-4 months. This longer time horizon is largely due to the additional step of a factory inspection, as well as extensive sample testing and verification, that are deeper than those of the CRS route.
The timeline of events for Foreign Manufacturers
The Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme has the longest certification processes for foreign manufacturers exporting to India. The length of time to complete FMCS certification is usually 3-6 months. This is because it takes time to review the application, undergo an overseas factory audit, sample testing at a BIS-recognised lab in India and then the review of the final report before the grant of licence. Much of this time is spent on international shipping, customs clearance and arranging the factory inspection overseas – something which domestic candidates do not have to deal with.
Machine and equipment – Scheme X
Time-lines are much longer for businesses involved in the sale of machinery and heavier equipment under the newer Scheme X, when compared to the more popular schemes. Realistic timeframes for Scheme X may be 9-12 months, since the tests are more stringent than those currently performed, and it is a relatively new implementation. From the beginning, businesses in this category should have this extended window of opportunity from which to think through their product launches.
The real reasons for delay
In some of these broad time frames, there are times when applications may take longer than they should, and the reasons are typically avoidable. Typical reasons for delay are due to documents being incomplete or mismatched, busy testing laboratories (especially if for the CRS approach), and failure to respond to BIS queries raised during review. If you are having a problem with your BIS application and it is delayed by responding to their queries, you might be able to add 2 to 4 more weeks to your application. This implies that a considerable part of the delay experienced by businesses is not at BIS but because of gaps in their preparation.
The impact of factory inspections on timing
Scheduling is a more significant factor for schemes that need to be physically inspected than some applicants realise. Domestic factory inspections generally take a few days; foreign factory inspections under FMCS can take 4-8 weeks to schedule and complete. This helps to avoid unwanted delay at this stage, as it is best to coordinate this in advance of your application being under consideration.
The Final Approval Stage
After the testing and inspection requirements are met, there will be a processing period before the issuing of a licence. This last stage of review and approval typically requires about 7 to 15 working days depending upon the workload of BIS officers at that time. This is mostly outside the application’s control, but it is done when the application is already fully compliant, meaning the odds of a further delay are less.
There are many ways to keep your timeline on track
The businesses that go through BIS certification in the quickest time are the ones who have prepared for it and not the ones who got lucky. This involves verifying the right IS standard from the beginning, having complete and consistent documentation, testing at accredited laboratories and answering all communications from BIS during the entire process. Properly carried out, each of these actions eliminates one of the most frequent and easily fixed causes of delay.
Create a plan for launch based on certification
With these realistic timelines, it would be more logical to plan for BIS certification as an integral part of your product launch process instead of an afterthought. At least six weeks is a reasonable time for a CRS product to factor in, compared to the fastest case. When planning for ISI Mark or FMCS, it is best to plan several months, so that certification delays don’t disrupt the bigger picture of your business.
Let Induce India Help You Move Faster
When it comes to BIS certification, help is at hand to save your manufacturers and importers from common snags that delay your procedure. When you’re facing BIS certification, help is at hand to avoid common delays that lengthen your BIS certification procedure at Induce India. We ensure that your application is progressing as efficiently as possible, from the identification of the right scheme and standard to the documentation, testing and inspection process, to ensure that your application stays on track.
Conclusion
Each scheme and product category has a different BIS certification timeframe, but most delays are avoidable with the proper preparation. Contact Induce India to obtain a realistic product-specific timeline for certification to begin with confidence.
