The Centre has announced plans to intensify its engagement with India’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to address longstanding industry concerns about compulsory product certification and quality regulations that many small businesses find confusing or burdensome.
Officials from the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) said they will hold regional outreach conferences in the coming months to directly interact with MSME owners and industry groups to explain how quality standards and certification requirements work — and how they can help firms access larger markets.
At the heart of the discussion are Quality Control Orders (QCOs) — legal directives under the BIS Act that mandate specific domestic and imported products meet minimum quality benchmarks. While the government argues these orders help curb sub-standard imports and improve consumer trust, some small firms have complained that they act like hidden barriers, raising costs or complicating compliance.
The DoCA says it has already taken several steps to address these concerns, including digitising the BIS certification process and offering simplified, time-bound approvals for many products. Under the new system, certification for more than 750 product categories can be granted within 30 days for domestic manufacturers, including MSMEs, under an easier-to-follow procedure.
To increase transparency and support businesses at the grassroots, BIS offices have also launched initiatives such as “Manak Manthan” — field-level engagements to answer queries and provide hands-on assistance to small producers. The department continues to host “Open House” sessions online, where proprietors can log in and seek clarifications directly.
The government has also eased compliance for MSMEs by making in-house testing laboratories optional and allowing shared or cluster testing facilities — as well as fee concessions of up to 80 % for micro units and smaller discounts for small and medium enterprises — aimed at making certification both more affordable and less onerous.
These outreach efforts come amid continuing industry debate about the role of QCOs, with some business leaders arguing that quality mandates may increase input costs for small firms. The government’s stated aim is to boost MSMEs’ confidence in standards systems while enabling them to compete more effectively in both domestic and export markets.