Certification Marks Issued for different products in India

The Government of India has created certain standards for almost every product in the market to provide quality goods that are safe and reliable. Certification of goods minimizes health threats to consumers, protects the environment, and promotes internal and international trade, among others.

The certification on products helps consumers get a sense of various aspects of the product including environmental impact, product quality, safety and hygiene, production standards, the absence of additives or preservatives, etc.

While the government is doing its bit by providing these certifications, we, as aware citizens, should try and observe before buying or consuming any product.

Types of certifications:

1. AGMARK

AGMARK is a certification mark used for agricultural products in India. This mark assures that the product conforms to a set of standards approved by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection of the Government of India.

Currently, AGMARK standards cover quality guidelines for various products like essential oils, vegetable oils, pulses, cereals, fruits, vegetable and semi-processed products like Vermicelli.

2. ISI

ISI Mark is a certification mark used for industrial products in India. This mark assures that the product conforms to Indian Standards and is issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). This mark is both mandatory and voluntary. Mandatory ISI certification products consist of electrical appliances, medical equipment, steel products, stainless steel, chemicals, fertilizers, cement, LPG cylinder, batteries, and packed drinking water.

3. BIS Hallmark:

The BIS Hallmark is a marking system, set up to certify the purity of gold jewelry and gold coins. This mark was introduced for gold in the year 2000 and for silver jewelry in 2005. BIS certified gold jewelry comes with a BIS stamp. Do check for this stamp before purchasing gold jewelry.

4. FPO Mark:

It is compulsory to have an FPO Mark on all processed fruit products sold in India. The example of processed fruit products are fruit jams, packaged fruit beverages, crushes, squashes, pickles, dehydrated fruit products, and fruit extracts. The FPO mark confirms that the product was manufactured in a hygienic ‘food-safe’ environment and is fit for consumption. So, next time you purchase processed fruit products, do look for this mark.

5. The green and brown dot

The green or brown dot is a common mark, printed on almost all food products. The brown dot on the packed food item indicates that the food is non-vegetarian. On the other hand, the green dot indicates that the food in the package is vegetarian. These symbols should be placed at a prominent place on the package.

6.  India Organic Certification

The India Organic Certification is a label provided to farm products processed in India.  The certification mark guarantees that an organic food product adheres to the National Standards for Organic Products. It assures you that the product or the raw materials used in the product, were grown through organic farming, without using any chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or induced hormones.

7. Ecomark

This mark is issued by the BIS to those products which conform to a set of standards aimed at causing the least impact on the ecosystem.