BIS is the Bureau of Indian Standards, India’s national standards body. ISI is the Indian Standards Institution, the body BIS replaced on 1 April 1987, and the name that stuck to the mark it created. So BIS is the organisation, and the ISI mark is one of the certification marks BIS grants today. Every ISI mark is a BIS certification, but not every BIS certification is an ISI mark: electronics registered under CRS and hallmarked jewellery are BIS-certified too, with different marks.
If you need a licence for your product, our ISI mark certification service and BIS CRS registration service cover both main schemes.
BIS vs ISI at a glance
| BIS | ISI | |
|---|---|---|
| Full form | Bureau of Indian Standards | Indian Standards Institution |
| What it is today | India’s national standards body, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution | The name of the mark granted under BIS Scheme-I; the institution itself no longer exists |
| Established | 1 April 1987, under the BIS Act, 1986; now governed by the BIS Act, 2016 | 6 January 1947; replaced by BIS in 1987 |
| Covers | Standards, product certification (ISI and CRS), hallmarking, laboratory recognition and more | Product certification under Scheme-I only |
| Number on the product | Depends on the scheme: CM/L (ISI), R-number (CRS), HUID (hallmark) | CM/L licence number plus IS number |
| How to check | BIS Care app or BIS portals | BIS Care app, “Verify Licence Details” |
How ISI became BIS
According to BIS’s own history, the Indian Standards Institution came into existence on 6 January 1947 and formally started its certification marking scheme in 1955–56 under the ISI (Certification Marks) Act, 1952. Parliament passed the Bureau of Indian Standards Act in 1986, and BIS took over the staff, assets and functions of ISI on 1 April 1987. The BIS Act, 2016 replaced the 1986 Act from 12 October 2017.
The institution changed; the mark did not. Buyers had trusted the ISI logo for three decades, so it continued, and it is still printed on cement bags, helmets, pressure cookers and cables. The ISI mark full form post has the full timeline.
“BIS certified” can mean several marks
When a seller says a product is “BIS certified”, ask which scheme. BIS runs several, each with its own mark and number:
| Scheme | Mark on the product | Number to check | Typical products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheme-I product certification | ISI mark | CM/L licence number and IS number | Cement, steel, cables, helmets, pressure cookers, fans, water heaters, toys |
| Scheme-II, Compulsory Registration Scheme | Standard Mark (CRS) | R-number and IS number | Mobile phones, chargers, laptops, LED lamps, batteries, solar PV modules |
| Hallmarking | BIS logo, purity grade and HUID | Six-character HUID | Gold and silver jewellery and artefacts |
| Ecomark | ISI mark with the Eco logo | As for the ISI licence | Products meeting additional environmental criteria |
So a power bank with an R-number and no ISI logo can be fully compliant, while a power bank with an ISI logo is a warning sign, because power banks are under CRS, not Scheme-I. Our ISI vs CRS post explains how the two main schemes differ.
What each term means for a manufacturer
“We need BIS” usually means the product is on a BIS compulsory list. The first job is to find out which scheme applies:
- If the product is under Scheme-I, you need an ISI licence: an application on Manak Online, a factory assessment and product testing. Overseas factories apply through the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme. See our ISI mark certification guide.
- If the product is under Scheme-II, you need a CRS registration on crsbis.in, based on a test report from a BIS-recognised laboratory. See our CRS registration process.
Our BIS product list shows every compulsory product with its scheme and standard. If the product is not on either list, the ISI mark is voluntary, and you can still apply if buyers ask for it.
Common mix-ups
- “ISI certificate” for electronics. There is no ISI licence for a mobile phone or adapter. These need CRS registration.
- “ISI” meaning the Indian Statistical Institute. Same initials, unrelated to product certification.
- “ISI” and “ISO”. ISO is the International Organization for Standardization, which writes international standards but certifies nothing. See ISI vs ISO.
- “BIS approved seller”. BIS licenses manufacturers, not shops or online sellers. A retailer does not become BIS certified by stocking certified goods.
How to check either mark
For an ISI mark, open Verify Licence Details in the official BIS Care app and enter the CM/L number. For a CRS mark, open Verify R-No under CRS and enter the eight digits of the R-number. In both cases, match the manufacturer, product and IS number to what you are holding, and check that the status is valid. Step-by-step guides: CM/L number check and BIS registration number check.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech is a private compliance consultancy, independent of BIS. We confirm which BIS scheme applies to your product, identify the correct Indian Standard, and take the application through to an ISI licence or CRS registration. Our team includes former BIS officers. See our ISI mark certification and BIS CRS registration services.