RDSO FIRST Institution to be declared SDO under one “One Nation One Standard”

Context:

RDSO (Research Design & Standards Organization) of Indian Railways has become the FIRST Institution to be declared SDO under  “One Nation One Standard” mission on BIS ( Bureau of Indian Standards) which is Institution under Department of Consumer Affairs.

Key Highlights:

• RDSO took the initiative to seek recognition as a Standard Developing Organization (SDO) under the BIS SDO Recognition Scheme.
• In the process, RDSO reviewed its Standard Formulation procedures to realign them with the Best Practices of Standardization, encoded in the WTO-TBT “Code of Good Practice” and also mandated by the Bureau (BIS) as essential criteria for recognition as SDO.
• BIS, after reviewing the Standard Making Procedures of RDSO, has granted recognition to RDSO as SDO (Standard Developing Organization). With this recognition, RDSO becomes the first Standard Developing Organization in the country to be granted recognition under the BIS SDO Recognition Scheme.
• The scope of RDSO’s recognition as SDO, as approved by the Bureau (BIS), is “Standards Developing Organization for products, processes and services for railway transportation sector in India”.
• The recognition is valid for 3 years and will require renewal after completion of the validity period.
• Some of the major benefits that will flow out of this recognition by Bureau of Indian Standards, under the BIS SDO Recognition Scheme, include Larger participation of Industry / Vendors / MSME’s / Technology Developers in IR Supply Chain, Increased competitiveness amongst Industry / Vendors, Reduction in Cost, Quantum improvement in Quality of Product & Services, Smooth Induction of latest evolving & emerging technologies on IR, Reduced dependence on imports, Thrust on “Make-in-India”, Improvement in Ease-of-Doing-Business, Recognition of RDSO on International Standards Making Bodies and Integration with Global Supply Chain / Global Trade.

One Nation One Standard

One Nation, One Standard scheme has been launched with an aim to synergize standards adopted by various Standard Development Organisations in the country. The voluntary integration scheme of multiple standard formulating bodies will bring uniformity in the quality of goods & services produced in the country and will boost the ‘Brand India’ image.

• The purpose of setting standards and enforcing them is not to bring back “inspection raj” but to ensure that quality products are made available to consumers.
• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the only national body that frames standards, has come out with more than 20,000 standards for various products and services so far.
• Besides this, there are about 50-odd agencies that have framed about 400 standards in the country.
• There are multiple standards in the country for a single product/service. The new mission is to converge such standards with the BIS.

Main objectives:

• No one should feel the need to go abroad to get the quality certification.
• Lab testing in India should be of world standards. Modern equipment and the latest technologies would be used there.

Why such a move?

• Having uniform national standards will help in making it mandatory for more products.
• The government proposes to set Indian standards in line with the global benchmarks, just like other countries enforce their standards on imported products.
• The Centre, through this move, wants foreign goods coming into India to comply with Indian standards.