Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India, organised a Jewellers Awareness Programme in association with the Chennai Wholesale Jewellers Association at Terapanth Bhavan, Managappan Street, Sowcarpet, Chennai, on July 13, 2026. The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from jewellery retailers and wholesalers, trade representatives and members of the Chennai Wholesale Jewellers Association.
The programme was organised to create awareness among jewellers regarding BIS Hallmarking requirements, statutory provisions, compliance obligations, consumer protection measures and the latest developments relating to the hallmarking of gold jewellery and gold artefacts. It also served as an interactive platform for jewellers to clarify their queries on hallmarking implementation, registration procedures and regulatory compliance. The programme was attended by over 120 members of the Chennai Wholesale Jewellers Association, including jewellery retailers and wholesalers.
Shri S. D. Dayanand, Scientist–F / Senior Director & Head, BIS Chennai Branch Office, delivered the welcome address and outlined the objectives of the programme. Highlighting the significance of the programme, Shri S. D. Dayanand said, "BIS is committed to ensuring purity, transparency and consumer confidence in the gold jewellery sector through a robust hallmarking ecosystem. Recent digital initiatives such as the Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) system, photograph and automatic weight capture, and the Transfer HUID facility have significantly strengthened end-to-end traceability and accountability. BIS is also integrating advanced automation technologies with the Manak Online system to further enhance the accuracy, efficiency and reliability of hallmarking services. The success of these initiatives, however, depends on the collective commitment of jewellers, Assaying and Hallmarking Centres and all stakeholders to uphold professionalism, integrity and compliance, thereby strengthening consumer trust and the hallmarking ecosystem."
A technical presentation was delivered by Shri Akshay Kaushik, Scientist–D / Joint Director, BIS Chennai Branch Office. During the session, he explained the provisions of the BIS Hallmarking Scheme, HUID-based hallmarking, registration procedures for jewellers, responsibilities of registered jewellers, compliance requirements, and the digital services available through the e-BIS portal. He also elaborated on the recently revised guidelines and addressed practical aspects relating to implementation and documentation.
Representatives of the Chennai Wholesale Jewellers Association were felicitated during the programme in recognition of their continued support in promoting awareness on BIS Hallmarking among jewellery retailers and wholesalers.
An interactive Open House Discussion followed, during which participants raised queries relating to hallmarking norms, HUID generation, registration procedures, compliance requirements and BIS digital services. The queries were addressed by BIS officials, who assured continued guidance and support to facilitate effective implementation of hallmarking provisions.
The programme reaffirmed BIS's commitment to strengthening the hallmarking ecosystem in Chennai by equipping jewellers with the necessary knowledge and regulatory clarity to ensure quality, compliance and consumer confidence. Consumers and industry stakeholders were advised to verify the authenticity of Hallmark registrations, ISI Mark licences and Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) registrations through the BIS Care App, the BIS portal, or by scanning the QR codes available on certified products and hallmarked jewellery, wherever applicable.