BIS or Bureau of Indian Standards that certifies product quality from textile to electronics to agricultural produce will soon include jewellery in its scope. And as the provisions by the BIS Act have been notified for becoming effective since October 12, the time is not far when gold jewellery will also see mandatory certification with ISI mark.

As of today not all jewelers are doing the otherwise voluntary hallmarking and so as a fix for the customers such that they are not cheated on gold quality, the step is likely to be taken to ensure they get the product quality they have purchased.

With the new rules in place, fines as well as imprisonment shall apply in case the new laid down provisions are flouted.
Indian Association of Hallmarking Centres or HMCs for each piece of jewellery hallmarked, the charges charged to the jeweler are Rs. 35 and of it 10% is paid to the government as royalty charges. The provisos of the new BIS Act kicking in from Oct 12 have penal provisions, like fines and even imprisonment for flouting rules. "In the past if somebody passed on jewellery of 18 carat as 22 carat he would have to pay the difference to customer as compensation. But as and when hallmarking becomes compulsory, not only will the jewellery have to pay customer compensation but he stands to pay a fine and have his goods confiscated by BIS," said James Jose, secretary, Association of Gold Refineries & Mints.

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