Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2020 and its Amendments thereafter
On February 14, 2020, the Ministry of Steel notified in letter S.O. 756(E). the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2020. This order mandates that specific Steel and Steel Products must adhere to Indian Standards and bear the Standard Mark under a license from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
Scope of the QCO
Steel And Steel Products listed in below table is prescribed under Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 respectively is now mandated for BIS Scheme – I ISI mark certification.
Indian Standard
IS 1785 (Part-1): 1983
Product Name
Specification for plain Hard- drawn Steel Wire for Pre-stressed Concrete; Part 1 Cold – Drawn Stress relieved Wire.
Indian Standard
IS 1785 (Part-2): 1983
Product Name
Plain Hard-drawn Steel Wire for Pre-stressed Concrete; Part 2 as Drawn Wire.
Indian Standard
IS 6003: 2010
Product Name
Indented Wire for Pre-stressed Concrete – Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 6006: 2014
Product Name
Uncoated Stress Relieved Strand for Pre-stressed Concrete – Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 13620: 1993
Product Name
Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coated Reinforcing Bars – Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 14268: 2022
Product Name
Uncoated Stress Relieved Low Relaxation Seven- wire (Ply) Strand for Pre-stressed Concrete – Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 277: 2018
Product Name
Galvanized Steel Sheets (Plain and Corrugated) – Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 2002: 2009
Product Name
Steel plates for pressure vessels for intermediate and high temperature service including boilers.
Indian Standard
IS 2041: 2009
Product Name
Steel Plates for Pressure Vessels Used at Moderate and Low Temperature – Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 2830: 2012
Product Name
Carbon steel cast billet ingots, billets, blooms and slabs for re- rolling into steel for general structural purposes – Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 1786: 2008
Product Name
High strength deformed steel bars and wires for concrete reinforcement- Specification except for High strength deformed steel bars and wires of sizes less than 8 mm.
Indian Standard
IS 648: 2022
Product Name
Cold rolled non-oriented electrical steel sheet and strip – Fully processed type- Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 3024: 2015
Product Name
Grain Oriented Electrical Steel Sheet and Strip.
Indian Standard
IS 15391: 2003
Product Name
Cold Rolled Non-Oriented Electrical Steel Sheet and Strip – Semi-Processed Type- Specification.
Indian Standard
IS 1875: 1992
Product Name
Carbon steel billets, blooms, slabs and bars for forgings.
Indian Standard
IS 3502: 2009
Product Name
Steel Chequered Plates.
Actors affected due to the QCO
Foreign Manufacturers
Foreign manufacturers can obtain a licence to use the Standard Mark on products that comply with the applicable Indian Standards under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS).
To apply, the manufacturer must appoint an Indian resident as an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR). The application process is online, and the overall timeline for obtaining the licence is typically longer—generally around 6 months or more.
Domestic Manufacturers
Domestic manufacturers can obtain a licence to use the Standard Mark through the BIS Product Certification Scheme for products conforming to relevant Indian Standards.
The application process is conducted online, and the typical timeline for obtaining certification is approximately 2–3 months.
Process to obtain BIS Licence
Key Penalties and Legal Consequences
- Fines:Initial offenses carry a fine of no less than ₹1,00,000, while subsequent offences can lead to fines of ₹5,00,000 but may extend up to ten times the value of goods or articles produced or sold or offered to be sold
- Imprisonment:Up to two years for selling, manufacturing, or importing goods without the mandatory ISI mark.
- Seizure and Action:The BIS can conduct raids, seize products without the mark, and initiate legal action.
- Stop-marking/Sales Ban:Authorities can ban the sale of products, order product recalls, and cancel BIS licenses.
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