ISI Mark: Full Form, Meaning and How to Check It Is Genuine

ISI stands for Indian Standards Institution, the body set up in 1947 that later became the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The ISI mark is the BIS Standard Mark for product certification: it shows that a licensed manufacturer has made the product to a specific Indian Standard under BIS supervision. A genuine ISI mark always comes with an IS number and a CM/L licence number, and you can check that licence number in the official BIS Care app.

(ISI is also the common short form for the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata, which has nothing to do with product certification.)

From ISI to BIS: a short history

According to BIS’s own origin of BIS page:

The institution changed its name, but the mark it had made familiar did not. That is why a product certified by BIS today still carries what everyone calls the “ISI mark”.

What the ISI mark means, and what it does not

It means that:

• the manufacturer holds a BIS licence for that product, at that factory, against that Indian Standard;
• BIS assessed the factory and had the product tested before granting the licence;
• the manufacturer runs the BIS Scheme of Inspection and Testing and is subject to BIS surveillance, including market and factory samples.

It does not mean that:

• every product from the brand is certified. A licence covers specific products and varieties made at a specific address. An ISI mark on a product outside that scope is misuse.
• the product meets every possible quality expectation. It means conformity with the requirements of the named Indian Standard, nothing more.
• the seller is certified. BIS licenses the manufacturer. A shop or online seller does not become “ISI approved” by stocking marked goods.
• the licence is still valid. Licences must be renewed. Manak Online states that from 1 January 2023, licences past their validity stand automatically deferred, and licences more than 90 days past validity stand automatically expired.

Anatomy of the ISI mark

A correctly applied ISI mark has three parts:

1. The Standard Mark itself. The familiar “ISI” logo, drawn to the proportions BIS publishes on its Standard Mark page.
2. The IS number. Shown as “IS” followed by the number of the Indian Standard the product conforms to, for example IS 2347 for domestic pressure cookers or IS 4151 for two-wheeler helmets.
3. The licence number. BIS states that the licence number must be shown on the product with the Standard Mark, “preferably below the Standard Mark”, in the format CM/L-XXXXXXXXXX. Some older licences used a seven-digit number; BIS now uses a ten-digit format.

If an ISI logo appears with no CM/L number, or with an IS number that has nothing to do with the product (a cement standard on a kettle, for instance), treat it as suspect.

ISI mark vs other BIS marks

BIS runs several conformity schemes, and each has its own mark and number. Mixing them up is a common source of confusion.

BIS describes the ECO mark as the Eco logo appearing together with the ISI mark, indicating environmental criteria on top of the quality requirements of the Indian Standard. For electronics, the CRS mark is the one to look for, not the ISI mark. Our CRS registration process post explains that scheme.

Where the ISI mark is compulsory

The ISI mark is voluntary by default. It becomes compulsory when the Central Government notifies a product, usually through a Quality Control Order (QCO). From then on, nobody may manufacture, import, sell or store that product for sale without a valid BIS licence and the Standard Mark. For background on how orders work, see Quality Control Orders explained.

BIS maintains the official list of products under compulsory certification, Scheme-I. Examples on the list at the time of writing include:

The list changes regularly. New orders are added, some are amended or rescinded, and some food products have been de-notified from compulsory BIS certification. Always check the live list and the order text rather than relying on an old summary. If you are unsure about a particular product, our guide Does my product need BIS certification? sets out a step-by-step method.

How to check an ISI mark is genuine

Step 1: Read the mark

Note the IS number and the full CM/L licence number. Photograph the mark, the label and the packaging.

Step 2: Verify the licence in BIS Care

The official BIS Care app (Android and iOS, in Hindi and English) lets anyone fetch licensee details by entering a CM/L number. BIS describes this feature on its BIS Care app page. In the app, open Verify Licence Details and enter the number.

Step 3: Match the details

A licence number that exists is not enough. Check that:

• the licensee name and address match the manufacturer named on the product or label;
• the Indian Standard matches the IS number printed with the mark;
• the product and varieties covered match what you are holding (a licence for one type of cable does not cover another);
• the status is operative, not suspended, cancelled, deferred or expired.

Step 4: Cross-check on Manak Online if needed

Businesses checking suppliers can also use BIS’s Manak Online portal, where the conformity assessment section has a licence search by CM/L number or licensee name. Menu labels on the portal change from time to time, so follow the names shown on screen.

For a fuller walkthrough covering CRS R-numbers and hallmark HUIDs as well, see how to check a BIS registration number.

How to report a fake or misused ISI mark

If the licence does not exist, the details do not match or the status is not operative, report it to BIS:

• BIS Care app. After a one-time OTP verification, you can lodge a complaint about misuse of the ISI mark, misuse of the Hallmark, misuse of the Registration (CRS) mark, product quality or misleading advertisements, and then track its status in the app.
• BIS website. The consumer section of bis.gov.in links to online complaint registration and complaint tracking.

Include the product photographs, invoice or order details, and where you bought it. BIS uses such information for enforcement activity, which can include searches and seizures under the BIS Act.

Penalties under the BIS Act, 2016

The BIS Act, 2016 treats misuse of the mark seriously:

• Section 17 prohibits making, importing, selling or storing for sale notified goods without a Standard Mark under a valid licence, and prohibits anyone from using the Standard Mark, or any colourable imitation of it, without a valid BIS licence.
• Section 29(3) sets the punishment for contravening Section 17: imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine of not less than ₹2 lakh for a first contravention and not less than ₹5 lakh for second and later contraventions, which may extend to ten times the value of the goods, or both.
• Where the value of the goods cannot be determined, one year’s production is presumed to be in contravention and the previous financial year’s turnover is taken as the value.
• Section 29(4) makes the offence under Section 29(3) cognizable.

Section 29(2) separately penalises misuse of the Standard Mark or Hallmark by testing, marking or hallmarking centres and by uncertified sellers, with imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of at least ₹1 lakh that may extend to five times the value of the goods, or both.

If you are a manufacturer

You can apply the ISI mark only after BIS grants a licence under Scheme-I, following an application on Manak Online, a factory assessment and product testing. There are two routes, the normal procedure and the simplified procedure, with different testing and timeline rules. Our ISI mark certification guide explains both. Overseas factories apply through the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme, covered in our FMCS guide.

How Aaditech can help

Aaditech helps manufacturers and importers obtain and maintain ISI mark licences. We identify the correct Indian Standard, prepare the Manak Online application, get factories ready for the BIS visit and handle follow-up through to grant and renewal. Our team includes former BIS officers. See our ISI mark certification service.