Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has successfully organized the Annual convention for the stakeholders and faculties of MoU partner institutions in Puducherry on 24.04.25. The two-day event will conclude on 25.04.2025. This convention brought together 30 delegates from 15 MoU partner institutes.
The convention was inaugurated by Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari (IAS), Director General BIS, accompanied by Shri Rajeev Sharma, Deputy Director General (Standardization) and Shri Praveen Khanna, Deputy Director General (Southern Region). The convention aimed at strengthening the collaboration between BIS and MoU partner institutes by cultivating engagement of academia in the national and international standardization ecosystem.
In his welcome address, Shri Rajeev Sharma highlighted the role of increasing academic involvement in the nation’s quality ecosystem. He set the tone of the convention by highlighting that through these annual conventions, BIS is planning and deepening collaboration with academic institutions, which will further help us in the execution of this partnership for our joint efforts. He also illustrated the growth of the country to become the 3rd largest economy soon and attain the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, broadening and development of the national standards can effectively address the gaps in requisite Skills, Scale and Speed. Highlighting the role of standards in global trade, he urged partner institutions to nominate best Indian experts to make our voices heard and to protect our national interest at the consensus building process of setting international standards. Advocating for action-driven collaboration, he urged participants to reflect on the progress of MoU partner institutions and to participate interactively in the ongoing deliberations.
In his inaugural address, Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari reflected on the remarkable journey of collaboration with MoU partner institutes, which began with a single institute and has now expanded to around 100. He emphasized that this initiative represents a collective national mission to cultivate a culture of quality and standardization within academia. Noting a positive shift in institutional perspectives, he highlighted the growing discourse around quality and standards. Given the significant contribution of the services sector to the Indian economy, he stressed the need to develop stronger synergies with academic institutions to align with the Prime Minister’s vision of making Indian standards global benchmarks.
Shri Tiwari urged stakeholders to fully utilize the MoU framework by integrating Indian Standards into academic curricula, organizing workshops, and facilitating industry exposure for students. He advocated for developing indigenous standards using the expertise of academia and industry, moving beyond reliance on international standards.
Emphasizing the importance of empirical knowledge alongside theory, he recommended teaching standards to management students to prepare them for real-world challenges, in furtherance of their career and contribute effectively to the national economy. He further highlighted the evolution of BIS’s academic collaborations—from establishing Chairs of Standardization and appointing nodal faculty to organizing annual conventions to involve a broader group of faculty members. Concluding his address, he reaffirmed BIS’s commitment to supporting constructive academic initiatives and invited partner institutions to share ideas and requirements, assuring full support from BIS.
Technical Session Management Systems:
The session included a presentation by Smt. Nitasha Doger, Head of the Management Systems Department at BIS, who emphasized the importance of management system standards in building a competitive edge for organizations. She highlighted their role in ensuring business sustainability, customer satisfaction, regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement, and fostering a culture of continual improvement. She also shared ongoing projects and invited academic institutions to engage more actively in standardization initiatives, particularly in integrating these standards into the academic and professional ecosystem.
Technical Session on Services Sector:
Shri S.K. Kanojia, Head of the Service Sector Department at BIS, focused on standards relevant to the Services Sector and the growing involvement of MoU partner institutions in national and international projects. He outlined the significant contributions of these institutions in various committees, enhancing the quality and inclusivity of the standardization process. Highlighting the expanding role of academia, he informed that a substantial number of R&D projects have been awarded to partner institutions, and encouraged participants to explore new project opportunities and express interest in advancing the work of standardization.
The event concluded with widespread appreciation from the partner Institutes for BIS and its proactive role in nurturing academic collaboration. BIS’s efforts in developing curriculum-relevant reference materials, organizing exposure visits, and engaging both faculty and students were especially applauded. Representatives from partner institutions expressed a shared commitment to strengthening the culture of standardization across academic and research institutions.
During the concluding session, the participants emphasized the need for awareness material tailored for management students and proposed the development of case studies on the consensus-building and negotiation processes involved in setting national and international standards. Partner institutions pledged their continued support in bridging expertise gaps and contributing to standardization efforts. The session ended with an interactive feedback session, where participants discussed topics, such as integrating standards-based modules into academic curricula and BIS’s role in addressing emerging areas for standard development.