What is BIS Scheme-X Certification?
On March 16, 2022, the Bureau of Indian Standards rolled out Scheme-X. This gave manufacturers, whether based in India or overseas, a defined path to BIS Scheme-X Certification for assemblies, sub-assemblies, machine tools, and other products falling under Schedule-II, Scheme-X, before they could enter the Indian market. Before this pathway existed, many such items had no clear certification route at all.
A Licence or a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is what BIS hands out under Scheme-X for low voltage switchgear, control gear, machinery, and electrical equipment. Manufacturers who receive one of these can then put the BIS Standard Mark on their qualifying products. Scheme-X itself traces back to the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, 2018, later revised by the BIS Conformity Assessment (Amendment) Regulations, 2022.
Important: Starting August 28, 2025, the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024 becomes enforceable. From that date forward, any machine or electrical device named under this regulation cannot be manufactured, imported, or sold in India without valid certification under this scheme.
Scope of Scheme-X Certification
Issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industries via a gazette notification on August 28, 2024, the Omnibus Technical Regulation goes by the full title "Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024." Pumps, compressors, cranes, rotary electrical machines, transformers, switchgear, and related assemblies or components all fall within its reach.
Not everything is caught by this regulation, though. Three categories sit outside its scope:
- Items already regulated under a separate order made pursuant to Section 16 of the BIS Act, 2016
- Goods made in India exclusively for shipment overseas
- Construction machinery falling under the CMVR Rules, 1989 (MoRTH)
Types of Products Covered Under Scheme-X
Here's a breakdown of the product categories that typically need this certification:
Electrical Equipment
Think industrial transformers, power supply units, high-voltage gear, low-voltage switchgear, and controlgear.
Heavy Machinery
Covers hydraulic presses, industrial cranes, compressors, pumps, centrifuges, and automated systems.
Safety Equipment
Includes fire extinguishers, pressure vessels, emergency electrical systems, and protective electrical gear.
Specialized Electronics
Medical-grade electrical devices and consumer electronics that carry stricter safety demands sit here too.
Machine Tools
Machinery and tools used in working stone, ceramics, concrete, asbestos cement, mineral glass, and similar assemblies.
Rotary Equipment
Rotary electrical machines along with their assemblies, sub-assemblies, and components under Schedule-II of Scheme-X.
Key Differences: Scheme-I vs Scheme-X
Picking the right certification path starts with understanding how Scheme-I and Scheme-X differ from each other.
- Aimed at consumer goods: electronics, appliances, industrial materials
- Carries the ISI Mark on finished products
- Open to manufacturers located inside India and outside it
- Involves factory inspection alongside product testing
- Tends to cost less to obtain
- Built for high-risk industrial products, heavy machinery, and electrical safety gear
- Calls for detailed inspection, reporting, and tight compliance review
- Costs more given the extra compliance work involved
- Fits industrial machinery and electrical equipment specifically
- Results in a BIS Licence or a Conformity Certificate
BIS Scheme-X Standard Mark
Once a product clears Scheme-X, BIS attaches its Standard Mark to it. Look at the bottom of the mark for the licence number, shown as 'CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX,' and at the top for the relevant Indian Standard number.
Note: Slapping a fake or unauthorized BIS mark on a product without holding a genuine BIS licence breaks the law in India and carries penalties. Manufacturers need to stick to the applicable Indian Standards and reserve the BIS Mark strictly for products that have actually earned certification.
Safety Standards Under BIS Scheme-X
Product safety and quality sit at the center of Scheme-X certification. Getting there means meeting these requirements and standards:
Electrical Safety
Meeting IEC standards keeps electrical hazards and equipment failures at bay across all notified products.
Mechanical Safety
Structure, strength, and how reliably a product operates all get tested against the relevant Indian Standards.
Fire Safety
Manufacturing must rely on flame-resistant materials and stick to fire safety norms throughout.
Environmental Compliance
Energy efficiency rules and environmentally sound manufacturing practices come into play here.
Applicable standards include:
- Type A Standards, covered by IS 16819:2018 and ISO 12100:2010
- Type B Standards, found in the Second Schedule of the OTR Order
- Type C Standards, found in the Third Schedule of the OTR Order
- The IS/IEC 60947 Series, covering Low Voltage Switchgear and Controlgear
Documents Required for BIS Scheme-X Certification
Getting registered on the BIS Manak Online Portal calls for manufacturers to hand over the following documents beforehand:
- Factory and office name and address
- PAN and GST registration information
- Contact details, meaning email, mobile number, and office number
- Information on management and the authorized signatory
- Machinery and electrical equipment details drawn from the First Schedule of OTR
- Product name, type, and variety
- A Business Registration Certificate
- Factory layout plans and quality records
- A technical file plus compliance reports
- Test reports issued by a BIS-recognized laboratory
- AIR details, needed only from foreign manufacturers
- A company authorization letter
Certification Process for Domestic Manufacturers
General Timeline: roughly 90 working days
- 1Documentation ProcessPull together every business, product, and technical document needed. Line up factory layout details, quality records, compliance reports, and product specifics to match what BIS asks for.
- 2Submission of Application with FeeSend the application in through the BIS Manak Online Portal, attaching the required fee and every supporting document.
- 3Application Recording by BISBIS logs the application and confirms receipt, handing over a unique reference number so it can be tracked going forward.
- 4Scrutiny of Application & Query ResponseOfficials at BIS go through the application and paperwork. Where something doesn't add up, they raise a query, and the applicant has to reply within the set window.
- 5Nomination of Auditor & Audit Charges PaymentAn auditor gets assigned by BIS to inspect the factory, and the applicant covers the prescribed audit charges.
- 6Factory Audit and Sample TestingBIS officials inspect the factory in person to check quality systems and testing setups, then pull product samples to send off for testing at a BIS-recognized laboratory.
- 7Testing at BIS-Recognized LaboratorySamples get tested against the relevant Indian Standards. Certification can't move ahead until the results come back satisfactory.
- 8Payment of Marking Fee & Licence FeeOnce the audit and testing wrap up successfully, the applicant pays the marking fee and the licence fee BIS sets.
- 9Grant of LicenceWith compliance confirmed, BIS hands over the Scheme-X Licence or a Certificate of Conformity (CoC), clearing the manufacturer to use the BIS Standard Mark on certified products.
Certification Process for Foreign Manufacturers
General Timeline: roughly 6 to 7 months
- 1Documentation ProcessAssemble every business, product, and technical document required, including the AIR appointment, company authorization, and import-export paperwork.
- 2Submission of Application with FeeSubmit the application on the BIS portal, along with the fee and supporting documents carrying the authorized signatory's signature.
- 3Application Recording & ScrutinyBIS logs the application and works through the documents. Any query raised has to be cleared within the given window.
- 4Nomination of Auditor & PaymentBIS assigns an auditor to inspect the overseas facility. The applicant covers the audit charges and arranges the auditor's visa and travel.
- 5Audit Preparation including Visa & TravelVisa, lodging, and other logistics for the BIS auditors fall on the applicant to organize. A foreign factory audit generally runs 3 days, stretching longer when multiple product applications are involved.
- 6Factory Audit and Sample TestingAn on-site inspection is carried out by BIS auditors, with product samples then tested at a BIS-recognized laboratory per the relevant Indian Standards.
- 7Testing at BIS-Recognized LaboratoryTesting of the samples follows, and a licence can't be granted until results come back successful.
- 8Payment of Marking Fee & Licence FeeAfter a clean audit and test, the applicant covers the marking fee along with the licence fee BIS prescribes.
- 9Grant of LicenceBIS issues the Scheme-X Licence or CoC at this stage, letting the manufacturer legally use the BIS Standard Mark on every certified product sold in India.
Additional Note for Foreign Manufacturers: FMCS norms treat foreign manufacturers as Large Scale industries. An AIR, or Authorized Indian Representative, has to be appointed, no exceptions. Factory audits typically run 3 days, with more man-days added when extra product applications are in the mix.
BIS Scheme-X Certification Fee Structure
Fees can change over time. Costs for testing, travel, and paperwork come on top of these figures. Check with BIS or our team for the latest numbers before you apply.
Validity and Renewal of Scheme-X Certificate
How long each stage takes can shift depending on how complete the documents are, when the audit gets scheduled, and how busy BIS is at the time.
How e2e Compliance Advisors Can Help
From start to finish, e2e Compliance Advisors handles BIS Scheme-X Certification support for clients across India. Documentation, coordinating tests, getting ready for audits, filing applications, and pushing approvals through to the end all fall under what our team manages for domestic and foreign manufacturers alike.
Document Preparation
Technical files, compliance reports, factory paperwork, and application forms get put together carefully on our end, cutting down the odds of delays or rejection.
Testing Coordination
We line up product testing with BIS-recognized laboratories, checking that every safety and performance requirement gets met under the relevant Indian Standards.
Audit Support
Getting ready for a BIS factory audit, coordinating when the auditor shows up, and sorting out visa and travel logistics for audits involving foreign manufacturers: we handle all of it.
Final Approval & Compliance
We stay on BIS's case at every stage until the Scheme-X Licence or CoC comes through, then keep offering guidance on compliance after certification is done.
Manufacturers and importers throughout India turn to e2e Compliance Advisors as a dependable BIS certification consultant based in Delhi, relying on us to reach compliance with the Omnibus Technical Regulation and get their products into the Indian market the right way.