BIS CRS Certification for Wireless Keyboard- A Complete Analysis

The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) notified the Electronics and Information Technology Goods Order in 2012, which introduced the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS). It mandated that electronic goods mentioned in the product list under the Compulsory Registration Scheme must mandatorily get BIS Certification to manufacture, sell, export, or import such goods in the Indian Market. The CRS is based on self-declaration by the manufacturers as to the conformity of their products with the requisite BIS standards. The wireless keyboard is one of the products mentioned in the CRS product list, which makes it mandatory for Indian and foreign manufacturers to obtain a BIS license to operate in the Indian market. The standard applicable to Wireless keyboards is IS-13252 and all manufacturers must obtain the BIS CRSCertification for Wireless Keyboard to manufacture, store, sell, import, export or distribute their wireless Keyboard in the Indian market or have another intermediary deal with them similarly.

What is a Bureau of Indian Standards Certificate?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is a national certification body in India which operates under the MCA or the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. It promotes & regulates standards of certain goods & products in India. Although BIS Certification in India is optional for many products or items, the Indian Government has mandated that some products require BIS Certifications for the products to be imported or exported or sold in the markets in India. BIS Certification ensures some standards of safety, quality & reliability of the products or items on which the ISI mark is affixed. The BIS Certification allows manufacturers to affix the Indian Standards Institution mark, which shows that the products or items meet the requisite BIS standards.

Benefits of obtaining a BIS CRS Certification for Wireless Keyboard

There are various benefits of obtaining a BIS CRS Certification for Wireless Keyboard:

• Ensures high safety & quality standards as BIS-certified products require adherence to certain levels of standards.
• Ensure that products or items cause minimal environmental damage, as BIS prohibits the usage of some pollution-causing materials.
• Since the products receive BIS Certification in India, which is a nationally recognized Certification, it lends authenticity & reliability to the products. It also helps the brand gain global recognition.
• It promotes the brand of the company and instils customer trust & loyalty to the brand as BIS Certificates in India ensure high standards of safety & quality to its users.
• Allows manufacturers uninterrupted manufacture and sale of their products in the Indian market.

What is the Compulsory Registration Scheme?

The Compulsory Registration Scheme was introduced by MeitY in 2012 for specific electronic and IT products which require compulsory BIS registration of products mentioned in the CRS product list to operate in the Indian market. The CRS product list consists of seventy-seven products like, inter alia, mobile phones, smartphone chargers, television, UPS, LED lighting chains, smart watches, Bluetooth speakers, IT equipment, audio-video equipment, and other similar gadgets, all of which require mandatory BIS license to deal with in the Indian market. All businesses manufacturing, storing, selling, importing, exporting or distributing the products mentioned in the product list of CRS cannot do so without obtaining a valid BIS registration. Manufacturers of such products must get such registration after having their products tested in a BIS-recognized lab. Only after BIS declares that their products conform to the required standards are they allowed to affix the standard mark and enter the Indian market.

Documents Required for Obtaining BIS CRS Certification for Wireless Keyboard

Following are the documents required to obtain a BIS CRS Certification for a wireless keyboard:

• Identity proof and address proof of the applicant
• Name & address of the office and factory
• Documents stating the establishment of the manufacturing unit like, inter alia, Certificate of Incorporation, MOA
• MSME or SSI certificate, if applicable
• The flow of the manufacturing process covers all procedures from the raw material stage to the finished product stage.
• A detailed list of manufacturing machinery with machinery details
• Information on outsourcing (if any) of the manufacturing process
• List of testing facilities & equipment & Certificates copies of testing equipment.
• Laboratory test report conforming to ISI standards.
• Layout and map the location plan of the factory and the premise
• In-house/independent test report (if applicable)
• If an authorized signatory signs the application, authorization by the CEO in this regard
• If the manufacturer is a foreign entity or applicant, then the nomination information of the All-India Representative (AIR) and the nomination form, along with an undertaking and affidavit by the AIR.

Process of Obtaining BIS CRS Certification for Wireless Keyboard

Since obtaining a BIS CRS Certification for wireless keyboard is imperative for manufacturers to sell or trade in the Indian market, it is prudent to be aware of the processes involved in the registration and how to get such registration.

1. Nomination of an All-India Representative

For a foreign manufacturer with a branch office in India, the All-India Representative (AIR) shall be the manufacturer herself. However, for a foreign manufacturer without a liaising office in India, the AIR can be a local trader, importer, or Indian subsidiary, if any, of such a manufacturer. The format for the letter of nomination for AIR can be found in Form-IV.

• Registration on the BIS Portal

After the AIR is nominated, the manufacturers must create an account and register on the BIS Portal^[1], where the application for registration is to be submitted. This step is also known as the “know your manufacturer”.

• Tests from a BIS CRS Approved Lab

The manufacturer needs to place a testing request at any one of the BIS CRS-approved labs to conduct tests and assess whether the product is compliant with BIS standards. The list of BIS CRS-recognized labs can be found on the BIS website. After the tests are done, a test report shall be prepared. This test report shall be valid for a period of three months.

• Submission of application along with documents and test report

For the grant of a new license, Form-1 must be filed and the same must be submitted along with the test report and requisite documents. While filling out the application, the applicable Indian Standard for wireless keyboard IS 13252 (Part-1) is to be selected.

One also needs to pay a BIS CRS Registration fee to submit the application. After such submission, the hard copies of the application must be filed with the BIS within the next 15 days.

• Application Assessment by BIS

Once the application is submitted, the same shall be scrutinized and assessed by BIS. A BIS officer shall verify the documents and the test report. The applicant shall be informed of any errors or shortcomings in the application at this stage and shall be allowed to rectify such errors or shortcomings, if any.

• Grant of BIS CRS Certificate

Once BIS finds the application, documents, and test reports satisfactory, it shall grant the BIS CRS Certificate along with a unique BIS CRS number for the product. The certificate shall be available to be downloaded from the BIS portal.

Validity of BIS CRS Certification for Wireless Keyboards

The BIS CRS Certification for wireless keyboards is valid for a period of 2 years from the date of receipt of the certificate, and the same can be further renewed if there is no alteration in the product specifications. The BIS CRS certificate can be renewed after such period by filing the BIS CRS certificate renewal Form-VI.  If the application for renewal of the BIS CRS certificate is made after the validity time period, a requisite prescribed late fee shall also be filed together with the renewal application.

Conclusion

Since wireless keyboard requires mandatory registration under the Compulsory Registration Scheme notified by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, it is imperative that manufacturers of wireless keyboards get the requisite BIS CRS Certification for Wireless Keyboard. One cannot manufacture, store, sell, import, export, or distribute a wireless keyboard in the Indian market without a valid BIS license.

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