Recent Current Affairs related to BIS

World Standards Day

Day - October 14

Theme 2026 - “Shared vision for a better world: Spotlight on SDG 7-Affordable and Clean Energy”

Observed since - 1970

Commemorating - Establishment of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1947

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has launched the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Silver Refinery Scheme during the World Standards Day 2026 celebrations in New Delhi on October 14.

The scheme establishes a national framework for silver purity, extending structured purity assurance and hallmarking to silver bullion and coins. Hallmarked silver bullion and coins will feature a standardized BIS mark, the word “SILVER”, purity grades (999.9, 999.5, or 999.0), the manufacturer identification mark, and a unique batch serial number.

During the event, He also unveiled the BIS Digital Standard Reader, a web-based platform to convert XML (eXtensible Markup Language)-formatted Indian Standards into interactive SMART (Standards Machine Applicable, Readable and Transferable) standards. Additionally, 7 new Indian Standards were released across sectors such as textiles, clean mobility, therapeutic healthcare, robotics, and building materials.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has mandated Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for smartphone screen protectors under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021, effective from April 1, 2027.

With this, smartphone screen protectors become the 66th product category under the compulsory registration framework and must conform to the Indian Standard (IS) 19348:2025 before being manufactured, imported, or sold in India. A transition period is granted until March 31, 2027, for manufacturers and importers to meet the prescribed standard.

President Droupadi Murmu has granted assent to the ‘Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2026’ and a legislation amending the ‘Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007’.

The ‘Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2026’ replaces the ‘Income-tax (IT) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026’. The Act provides exemptions from income tax on interest and capital gains (arising from the sale, exchange, or transfer) to Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) for their investments in government securities.

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) under the Ministry of AYUSH has signed an MoU with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in New Delhi to promote quality standards, conformity assessment, scientific research, and capacity building in the AYUSH sector.

It is to be noted that this marks the 100th MoU signed by the BIS and its first with an AYUSH organisation.

The AI model 'Claude Fable 5' from Anthropic has been suspended globally, just 3 days after its launch. This action follows an unprecedented export control directive issued by the US government.

Osmania University in Hyderabad has become the first university in India to receive four International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Management System Certifications from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

The university has been awarded certifications for ISO 21001:2018 (Educational Organisations Management System), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System), ISO 50001:2018 (Energy Management System), and ISO 22000:2018 (Food Safety Management System).

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCAF&PD), has notified specifications for E22, E25, E27, and E30 fuel blends. These specifications set standards for petrol blended with up to 30% ethanol, extending beyond the existing E20 blend target.

The new norms have been established under the standard ‘IS 19850:2026’ for ‘E22, E25, E27 and E30 Fuel, Admixture of Anhydrous Ethanol and Motor Gasoline for Usage in Positive Ignition Engine Powered Vehicles’.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the Department of Consumer Affairs, has organized the 35th Plenary and Working Groups meetings of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 20 / Subcommittee (SC) 14. The meetings for the ‘Space Systems and Operations’ subcommittee were hosted for the first time in India at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

The event saw the participation of 131 international delegates from 13 countries. It is to be noted that the ISO/TC 20/SC 14 is responsible for developing international standards for space systems to ensure safety and sustainability in global space activities.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published 6 new standards for priority Assistive Technologies (AT) under the framework of the National List of Essential Assistive Products (NLEAP). It is to be noted that NLEAP is an initiative led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The new standards for mobility aids include IS 18558 (elbow crutches), IS 5145 (multi-leg walking sticks), and IS 19631 (portable ramps) to ensure safety, performance, and accessibility. BIS has also established standards for accessibility aids, specifically IS 19189 (tactile guide maps) and IS 19190 (Braille on signage).

The 10th session of the India–Kenya Joint Trade Committee (JTC) was held in Nairobi, Kenya, to review and strengthen bilateral trade. The meeting was co-chaired by Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary, and the Kenyan counterpart Regina Akotah Ombam. Bilateral trade between the countries reached $4.31 billion in 2025-26, which is a 24.91% increase from $3.45 billion in 2024-25. The JTC also reviewed the MoU between the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) to facilitate smoother trade.