What is BIS Scheme-X Certification?
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) launched “Scheme X” on March 16, 2022. The main agenda of this scheme is to make imports easier for domestic and international manufacturers to get assemblies, sub-assemblies, and machine tools certified under Schedule II, Scheme-X, and BIS mark before they hit the Indian market.
According to the 2018 Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Conformity Assessment Regulations, Scheme X is a product certification scheme. Harmonization of Indian safety standards with international standards is its overall purpose. Scheme X certifies Indian-made or imported machinery and electrical equipment to high safety and technical standards. Under this scheme, products have to comply with Indian Standards and carry the BIS Standard Mark, which indicates compliance with BIS quality standards.
Domestic and foreign producers who have plans to distribute their products within the Indian market are at the center. Scheme X mainly focuses on products that have to comply with stringent safety rules in order to ensure reliability and consumer confidence. BIS launches licenses or Certificate of Conformity (CoC) under Scheme X for various products such as electrical equipment, machinery, control gear, and low-voltage switchgear. This certificate allows manufacturers to proudly display the BIS Standard Mark on their products.
Who Needs the BIS Scheme X Certification?
BIS Scheme X Certification is mandatory for all manufacturers, Indian and foreign, whose products fall under the list of items regulated by the Bureau of Indian Standards. This includes companies producing or selling electrical and electronic equipment, including low voltage switchgear, control gear, electrical equipment like transformers and power supply units, heavy machinery, and safety equipment.
Additionally, importers, brand owners, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), and ODMs (Original Design Manufacturers) are responsible for ensuring that the products they market or distribute are BIS certified if those products fall under the Scheme X category. This certification is not optional, as selling or distributing regulated products without BIS approval is prohibited. Both domestic and international manufacturers need to get BIS certification under Scheme-X to legally manufacture, sell, or import their products in India.
BIS Scheme X Logo & Marking Rules
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) issues a BIS certification under Scheme X for products that conform to India's quality and safety requirements. The BIS Standard Mark, or the BIS Scheme X Certification Mark, is a mark of product compliance and trustworthiness. The concerned standard number (if required) is at the top of the mark. It is issued only after the manufacturer passes the BIS License.
BIS Scheme X Certification Mark consists of the license number, mentioned at the bottom as ‘L-XXXXXXXXXX’. It is prohibited and an offense to show the BIS license number 'L-XXXXXXXXXX' on any product without a valid BIS License. Indian Manufacturers comply with Indian Standards and make their products with a proper BIS Standard Mark while selling in the Indian Market to comply with regulations and earn consumer confidence.
List of Products that Fall Under the BIS Certification Scheme X
Scheme X under BIS Certification contains products that have high risk and are defined as low-voltage switchgear and controlgear. Core general groups include:
- Safety Equipment: Fire extinguishers, pressure vessels, and emergency electrical systems.
- Specialized Consumer Electronics: Medical-grade electrical appliances with prominent safety features.
- Electrical Equipment: Industrial transformer, high voltage equipment, power supply unit.
- Heavy Machinery: Industrial cranes, Hydraulic presses, and automation equipment.
Mandatory Product List for BIS Scheme-X Certification
| S.No. | Product Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Electrical Emergency Stop Devices IS 60947 Part-5 |
| 2 | Low–Voltage Switchgear and Controlgear Proximity Switches IS 60947 Part-5 |
| 3 | Electromechanical Devices and Switching Elements IS 60947 Part-5 |
| 4 | A.C. Semiconductor Motor Controllers and Contactors for Non-Motor Loads IS 60947 Part-4 |
| 5 | AC Semiconductor Motor Controllers and Starters IS 60947 Part-4 |
| 6 | Electromechanical Contactors and Motor Starters IS 60947 Part-4 |
| 7 | Switches, Disconnectors, Switch Disconnectors and Fuse IS 60947 Part-3 |
| 8 | Low–Voltage Switchgear and Controlgear: Circuit Breakers IS 60947 Part-2 |
Omnibus Technical Regulation (OTR) Framework
On August 28, 2024, the Omnibus Technical Regulation (OTR) order came into effect for Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety. This order applies to all types of machines and electrical equipment to ensure safety and conformity under the BIS Scheme X Certification, except such machinery and components already within the jurisdiction and scope of some other order/s being made by the Bureau under Section 16 of the BIS Act, 2016.
All certifications must be mandatorily acquired before sale/distribution by the manufacturer or, in case of import, by the importer, through laboratory testing in BIS-approved laboratories and review of documents (usually under Scheme I or Scheme X) before depositing any products in the Indian market. This minimizes safety risks and layout accidents under the Omnibus framework.
Machinery and Electrical Equipment covered under the OTR:
| Sr. No. | Description of Machinery and Electrical Equipment |
|---|---|
| 1 | All types of Pumps for handling liquids, liquid elevators, and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 2 | All types of compressors and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 3 | All types of machinery for the treatment of material by a process involving a change of temperature and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 4 | All types of centrifuges, filtering or purifying machinery for liquid and gas, and their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 5 | All types of machinery for filling, closing, sealing, labelling bottles, packing or wrapping, and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 6 | All types of cranes and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 7 | All types of machinery for construction, earthmoving, Mining, and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 8 | All weaving machines (looms) and their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 9 | All machinery for making embroidery and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 10 | All metal cutting machine tools are covered under headings 8456 to 8461 and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 11 | All machine tools for working stone, ceramics, concrete, asbestos cement, or mineral glass, and their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 12 | All machinery for working rubber and plastics, and their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 13 | All Machines, including machines for public works & buildings, and machinery & mechanical appliances having individual functions, not specified or included elsewhere in Chapter 84, and their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 14 | All gears and gearing, toothed wheels, chain sprockets, transmission elements ball or roller screws, gear boxes, and speed changers, including torque converters and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components |
| 15 | All Rotary electrical machines, such as generators, etc., and their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 16 | All Diesel generators and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 17 | All Transformers and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 18 | All Power Semiconductor Converter and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 19 | All switch gear and control gear equipment operating at voltages not exceeding 1000 volts and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
| 20 | All switch gear and control gear equipment operating at voltages exceeding 1000 volts and (or) their assemblies / sub-assemblies / components. |
Procedures for Obtaining Scheme X Certification
The step-by-step processing paths detailed below indicate workflows for execution across domestic and global lines:
A. BIS Scheme X Certification for Domestic Manufacturers
Documentation Process
Submission of Application along with Application Fee
Recording of Application by BIS
Scrutiny of the Application and reply to any questions raised by BIS
Appointment of Auditor & Payment to BIS (Audit fee)
Factory Inspection and Sample Dispatch for Testing at OSL (if applicable)
Sample testing in the BIS accepted lab & Payment to Laboratory for Testing (if applicable)
Payment to BIS (Licence fee and marking fee) (if applicable)
Grant of License
B. BIS Scheme X Certification for Foreign Manufacturers
Documentation Process
Submission of Application with Application Fee
Application recording by BIS
Scrutiny of the Application and reply to any questions raised by BIS
Nomination of Auditor & Payment to BIS (Audit charges)
Audit preparation (inclusive of arrangements for Visa, Air tickets, Hotel Booking)
Factory Audit and Sample dispatch for Testing at OSL (if applicable)
Sample testing in BIS approved lab & Payment to Lab for Testing (if applicable)
Payment to BIS (Marking fee and licence fee) (if applicable)
Grant of License & Submission of PBG, agreement, and bond.
Renewal & Validity of Certificate Under BIS Scheme X
The BIS Scheme X certificate is issued for a period of from three to six years. It must be clearly understood that the certificate of conformity is valid for a particular product prototype, lot, or batch, and does not permit continued manufacture of such products without due permission.
For renewal of the BIS license, the licensee should make an application not less than two months before the date of expiry on Form-VII of this Scheme. The application shall be examined by the Board, and the renewal shall be issued in Form VIII as per Regulation 8 of the said Regulations.
BIS Certification Scheme X Fee Structure
Review the exact fee metrics mapped under the statutory structural rules of Scheme X:
| Sl. No. | Fee Type | Fee (in ₹) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Application fee for the grant of a licence | 2,000 |
| 2 | Application fee for the grant of a certificate of conformity | 2,000 |
| 3 | Certification fee for the grant of a licence or the renewal of a licence | 25,000 per year |
| 4 | Certification fee for the grant of a certificate of conformity | 10,000 |
| 5 | Fee for review of technical file for grant of licence or certificate of conformity or a change in the scope of the licence | 20,000 per technical file |
| 6 | Inspection fees, including surveillance, for any site visit: • for a minimum of 2 days' inspection for Indian manufacturers. • for a total of 7 days for Foreign (3 days inspection + 4 per-diem charges). |
20,000 per man-day |
| 7 | Sample procurement charges (if applicable) | On actuals |
| 8 | Testing Charges (if applicable) | On actuals |
Concessions for Indian Manufacturers
- Micro, small, and medium scale enterprises receive a general concession of 20%.
- Until May 31, 2026, an enhanced concession for a micro-scale enterprise of 80% or a small-scale enterprise of 50% in the large-scale base tier is applicable.
- Until May 31, 2026, start-up enterprises receive an 80% concession, and women entrepreneur enterprises get an additional 10% on top of their scale concessions.
- North-eastern areas (per North-Eastern Council Act, 1971) receive an additional 10% concession regardless of structural scale.
Additional Foreign Manufacturer Charges:
1. Travel Cost (Air ticket / VISA / Hotel accommodation)
2. Per-diem charges of the officer for a total of 4 days (3 inspection days + 1 extra day)
3. Contingency funds: INR 10,000 per license
4. Performance Bank Guarantee (PBG) of USD 10,000 from an RBI-approved bank branch in India.
Note: All payments are to be made in equivalent USD by foreign applicants/licensees.
Eligibility Criteria Under BIS Scheme X Certification
To retain or qualify for Scheme X certification, applicants must fulfill the following essential thresholds:
- Eligible Entities: Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers engaged in the processing, import, or distribution of products under specified standard parameters can apply.
- AIR Nomination: Foreign manufacturers must nominate an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR) residing inside the country.
- Quality & Process Controls: Manufacturers must prove that their plants maintain sufficient capability to execute process controls, factory production workflow tracking, and specialized quality testing matching ISS norms.
- Technical File Submission: A complete repository containing detailed product descriptions, compliance reports, drawings, layouts, and data files must be anchored with the application.
- Surveillance Consent: Manufacturers must accept random surveillance audits and market product collection procedures carried out by BIS during the license tenure.
Required Documents for BIS Scheme X Certification
The registration requires manufacturers to prepare and map out the following checklist data:
- Registered manufacturer name and absolute addresses for both factory and main office locations.
- PAN and GST Registration details (for domestic operators).
- Active organizational contact channels (official emails, mobile numbers, phone lines).
- Structural data on key management and designated authorized signatories handling the documentation.
- Exhaustive equipment and electrical plant descriptions as aligned with the First Schedule of the OTR.
- Absolute specifications regarding the name, type, and specific variety of the product matching corresponding Indian Standards.
Why Partner with ERCS?
ERCS possesses deep domain expertise in the BIS Scheme X framework. From technical file preparation to laboratory scheduling and clearing administrative queries with BIS portal desks, we manage end-to-end steps to make your hardware market-ready without regulatory setbacks.
