Bureau of Indian Standards: the national standards body set up under the BIS Act 2016, with a branch office at Kochi
Background
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standard Body of India, established under the BIS Act 2016.
It was established for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods.
Through standardization, certification and testing, BIS provides safe, reliable quality goods, minimizes health hazards to consumers, promotes exports and import substitution, and controls the proliferation of varieties.
BIS has its Headquarters at New Delhi.
Its 5 Regional Offices are at Kolkata (Eastern), Chennai (Southern), Mumbai (Western), Chandigarh (Northern) and Delhi (Central).
Branch Offices, including one at Kochi, offer certification services to industry and serve as a link between State Governments, industries, technical institutions and consumer organizations.
In plain words
Standardization Setting common quality norms — One of the activities for whose harmonious development BIS was established.
Marking Placing a standards mark on goods — One of the activities BIS was established to develop, along with quality certification.
Branch Office Local office under a Regional Office — BIS Branch Offices, including Kochi, offer certification services to industry.