MSME Quality Certification Fee Concessions To Be Extended For 3 More Years

New Delhi, Jan 21 (KNN) The government is set to extend fee concessions on quality certification for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by another three years beyond the current mid-2026 deadline, as part of its push for a quality-driven manufacturing ecosystem, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has moved a proposal to extend the existing concessions, under which micro units receive an 80 per cent reduction in certification fees, small enterprises 50 per cent, and medium enterprises 20 per cent. The proposal is expected to be approved soon.

“Very recently we have moved a proposal, and it is likely to fructify. This concession would be available for the next three years,” said Bharat Khera, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, at an event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce, reported PTI.

Focus on Quality-Driven Manufacturing

Khera said India needs to shift from a compliance-focused approach to a culture of quality to achieve its long-term manufacturing goals. He emphasised that quality should be seen as a facilitator of market access rather than a regulatory burden.

BIS has issued over 23,000 standards, around 95 per cent aligned with international norms. MSMEs account for nearly 80 per cent of BIS licence holders, highlighting their central role in quality adoption.

Certification and Compliance Trends

According to BIS officials, about 55,000 certification licences have been issued so far, with nearly half obtained voluntarily. Mandatory quality control orders currently apply to over 700 products, while around 900 products fall under voluntary certification.

The certification process has been digitised, enabling manufacturers to typically obtain licences within 30 to 90 days. Compliance rates have remained above 96 per cent over the past two years.

Testing Infrastructure and MSME Support

BIS has recognised around 700 testing laboratories, though gaps persist in sectors such as medical devices. The government is assessing cluster-level testing needs and has indicated willingness to set up publicly funded facilities where private investment is insufficient.

To ease compliance for MSMEs, BIS now allows the use of shared or cluster-based laboratories and has made quality assurance plans advisory rather than mandatory. All Indian standards are available free online, except for adopted ISO–IEC standards.

Officials also encouraged MSMEs to participate in standard-setting through BIS’s Manak Manthan programme, which gathers industry feedback through state-level consultations.

(KNN Bureau)