Bureau of Indian Standards, the National standards body of India, was established under the BIS Act, 1986, to construct an internationally accepted mechanism to protect consumers and foster competition

BIS launched the voluntary hallmarking scheme in the year 2000, striving to ensure the empowerment of all citizens with good quality precious metals and to fill the regulatory vacuum in the Indian gold market. In order to ensure purity in Gold Jewellery, hallmarking was made mandatory from June 23, 2021. Assaying and hallmarking centres (AHCs), one of the abutments to the hallmarking scheme, are responsible for the accurate analysis of the composition of materials at all times.

There are various issues faced in the implementation of mandatory hallmarking and it is thus important to understand how hallmarking is implemented in other parts of world. The fire assay method being the stalwart among analytical techniques, is used worldwide, including in India. The process makes it possible to obtain minute quantities of concentrated precious metals, but the process also gives off toxic lead fumes, which pollute the environment. Recently, CPCB issued guidelines covering modalities for environmental clearance to mitigate the negative impacts of the test method which caused a stir and left the AHCs uncertain. The notification in its wake has given the country an impetus to align its plans with the sustainable growth avenues currently at its disposal and seek clean and green alternative approaches for gold testing without compromising accuracy. How AHCs will adapt to these recent regulations is a question to answer.

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Last Updated on अक्टूबर 2, 2021