Government of India Withdraws 14 Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for Chemical, Polymer, and Fibre

In a significant regulatory development, the Government of India has formally withdrawn 14 BIS QCOs across major chemical, polymer and fibre categories, in a key step toward simplifying compliance for industry. On the recommendation of its Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals), the Government announced its decision via notifications dated 12 November 2025, which are intended to ease the path for doing business and further enable growth in India’s chemical and petrochemical sector.

The government’s announcement is being made in response to appeals from industry associations and stakeholders, who have requested the opportunity to be more flexible in their circumstances regarding the mandatory BIS certification for these products. Although the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) had mandated certification for a large variety of chemicals, polymers, and fibres to ensure quality and safety, this latest update excludes 14 of those products from needing certification. Below, we are going to discuss why the Government of India has rescinded the Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for 14 specific chemicals, polymers, and fibre an important update, and more.

Why do the BIS QCOs across the Chemical, Polymer, and Fibre Categorie Matter? 

India’s chemical, polymer, and fibre industry is a vital component of the overall manufacturing ecosystem, supplying essential raw materials to a diverse range of industries, including plastics, packaging, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and automotive manufacturing. The launch of QCOs was meant to improve product quality and protection for consumers, but SMEs expressed their worries about the nature of mandatory certification by BIS, which would incur high costs and have a time-consuming effect on product development.

The purpose of withdrawing these QCOs is to allow for a more balanced and pro-business regulatory framework. The government believes that this step is aligned with India’s ongoing “Make in India” and ease of doing business initiatives, reducing unnecessary regulatory burden while still ensuring overall quality by relying on voluntary compliance and market-led practices.

List of Products with Withdrawn QCOs

Below we have mentioned the list of 14 chemicals, polymers, and fibre that are no longer subject to mandatory BIS Certification according to the official Gazette notification:

Each of these products had previously been brought under the mandatory certification regime through separate QCOs issued between 2021 and 2024. The government’s new notification now rescinds those earlier orders, with immediate effect, except for actions already completed under the previous directives.

Impact on the Industry

This decision is being praised by the industry as it alleviates compliance pressure and streamlines certification. For many manufacturers and importers, the BIS certification requirement added costs, delays, and obstacles to exporting.

The decision, communicated by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, will ensure raw material availability, reduce import barriers, and lower costs to downstream MSMEs in the textile, packaging, and molding industries, officials said.

The government expects that by eliminating these 14 chemicals from the regulated list, it will:

• Promote domestic production by reducing compliance costs.

• Improve competitiveness in international markets by removing certification-related delays.

• Increase innovation and purpose-driven speed in the adoption of new technologies in polymers and chemicals.

• Support MSMEs who were facing challenges in complying with the rigid and short timelines of the BIS compliance requirements.  

This decision demonstrates that the government is being balanced, by enforcing product quality while still allowing industries flexibility through voluntary standards.

Conclusion

The removal of 14 BIS QCOs across major chemical, polymer and fibre categories is an exemplary industry-friendly reform undertaken by the Government of India. The government has shown its strong resolution to make it easier to do business, enable manufacturing, and provide a simplified compliance framework for the chemical and petrochemical industry. While BIS will still have a principal role in developing and maintaining product standards, this reform signals that the government is keen to ensure that regulations are pragmatic, inclusive, and aligned with the manufacturing industry.