How to Obtain BIS Certification for Geotextiles in India?

Geotextiles^[1] are permeable fabrics that can separate, reinforce, filter, or drain when used in association with soil. Typically are made from polypropylene/polyester. In India, geotextile is gaining popularity due to various performance & functional benefits over other materials. The construction & agriculture sectors in India are growing at a robust pace, consequently boosting demand for permeable, strong, and flexible geotextile products. Geotextiles are one of the fastest-growing sectors of the technical textiles market, and they are expected to continue to grow. As per India Geotextiles Market, By Material, By Type, By Application, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2012 – 2026”, the India geotextiles market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 12% during 2017 – 2026. Geotextiles have many applications and are currently used in many civil engineering applications like roads, airfields, railroads, embankments, retaining structures, reservoirs, canals, dams, bank protection, coastal engineering, and construction site silt fences. BIS Certification for geotextiles is required to ensure that geotextiles are of standard quality and better suited to carry out their primary function. All Geotextiles must comply with the applicable Indian standard and bear the standard mark under a license from the Bureau of Indian Standards. Scroll down to check more information regarding BIS Certification for Geotextiles.

What is the BIS?

BIS stands for the Bureau of Indian Standards. BIS is a National Standard Organization introduced under the BIS Act 2016 to manage & formulate quality standards for consumer products. BIS is responsible for marking & certifying products to ensure the stability, quality & reliability of the product for the end user. BIS operates several certification programs to ensure that the public receives high-quality, risk-free products. BIS runs a Product Certification Scheme, also known as the ISI Mark Certification Scheme, to grant a BIS license to manufacturers. Under this scheme, the Bureau of Indian Standards issues a BIS licence to the manufacturer to use the ISI mark on products that conform to applicable Indian standards. ISI-marked products guarantee that products meet the requirements of applicable Indian standards. Manufacturers must obtain BIS Certification for their products to use the standard mark and sell them in the Indian market. The BIS Certificate is only issued after verifying that the product meets all requirements of applicable Indian standards. To obtain a BIS Licence, all manufacturers must ensure that their product meets the requirements of all applicable Indian standards.

Benefits of Obtaining BIS Certification for Geotextiles

Following are the benefits of obtaining BIS Certification are:

• Gain the trust of the consumer
• Ensure that the product is safe & out of physical harm;
• Ensure consumer health;
• ISI mark is a mark of trust for buyers.

List of the Geotextiles Products

Sr. No.	Indian Standard	product
1.	IS 15351:2015	Geotextiles Laminated High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Woven Geomembrane for Water Proof Lining
2.	IS 16653: 2017	Geosynthetics Needle punched non-woven geobags for coastal and waterways protection.
3.	IS 14715 (Part 1):2016	Jute Geotextiles Part 1 Strengthening of Sub-Grade in Roads
4.	IS 15869: 2008	Textiles Open weave coir bhoovastra
5.	IS 16393:2015	Geosynthetics Geotextiles Used in subsurface Drainage application
6.	IS 16352: 2015	Geosynthetics High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Geomembranes for Lining
7.	IS 16392:2015	Geosynthetics Geotextiles for permanent erosion control in hard armour systems
8.	IS 17372:2020	Geosynthetics – Polymeric strip or geostrip used as soil reinforcement in retaining structures
9.	IS 17374:2020	Geosynthetics – Reinforced HDPE membrane for effluent & chemical resistance lining
10.	IS 17883 (Part 2)	Geosynthetics – Geocells – specification part 2 slope erosion protection application
11.	IS 15909: 2015	PVC Geomembranes for Lining
12.	IS 16654: 2017	Geosynthetics – Polypropylene Multifilament woven geobags for coastal & waterways protection
13.	IS 14715 (Part 2):2016	Jute Geotextiles Part 2 Control of Bank Erosion in Rivers
14.	IS 16391:2015	Geosynthetics – Geotextiles Used in Sub-Grade Separation in Pavement Structures
15.	IS 16362: 2015	Geosynthetics – Geotextiles used in subgrade stabilisation in pavement structures
16.	IS 16090:2013	Geosynthetics – Geotextiles used as protection (or cushioning) materials
17.	IS 17371:2020	Geosynthetics – Geogrids for flexible pavements
18.	IS 17373:2020	Geosynthetics – Geogrids used in reinforced soil retaining structures
19.	IS 17883 (Part l):2O20	Geosynthetics – Geocells – specification part 1 load bearing application

Documents Required to Obtain BIS Certification for Geotextiles

Following are the vital documents for obtaining BIS Certification for Geotextiles:

• Factory Registration Documents;
• Trademark Certificate (if registerd);
• Location Plan of the factory from the nearest railway station or bus stand;
• Laboratory Test Report according to Product Standard;
• In-house Testing Facilities;
• Flow Chart of Manufacturing Process;
• Information of Authorised Signatory & other related Documents.

Process of BIS Certification for Geotextiles

Following are the steps to obtain BIS Certification for Geotextiles:

Step 1: Documentation: If the applicant wants to get BIS Certification for Geotextiles products, then the applicant needs to prepare all necessary documents before submitting the application.

Step 2: Application form Submission: After all the vital documents are prepared, the application form and vital documents will be submitted to the BIS Portal.

Step 3: Scrutiny of application form: BIS officials will carefully review each document & application submitted by the applicant.

Step 4: Audit of manufacturing premises: BIS will appoint an official to audit manufacturing premises. During the inspection of manufacturing premises, BIS officials and the inspection team will take product samples and send them to a BIS-authorised laboratory for testing.

Step 5: Sample testing: All product samples collected will be tested in a BIS-authorised laboratory to ensure that the products meet the requirements of applicable Indian standards.

Step 6: Grant of BIS Licence: If the product complies with the specified Indian standard, BIS will issue a BIS license to the manufacturer.

Validity & Renewal of BIS License

BIS license is initially granted for two years. A renewal application and license fee need to be submitted within 90 days of the license’s expiration date. BIS license may be renewed for one year to five years, depending on whether the application fee, licence fee, advance minimum marking fee, and dues, in any, have been paid along with the renewal application for the requested duration. The licence will expire if the licensee doesn’t submit a renewal application and pay the required fee within 90 days of the license’s expiration date.

Conclusion

Applications in civil engineering are increasingly using geotextiles. However, because of its applicability, more focus should be put on its quality requirements. All geotextile producers must receive BIS Certification for their geotextiles, such as Geosynthetics- Polypropylene Multifilament, Jute geotextiles, Textiles, Geosynthetic, etc., to guarantee that they are of a high calibre and bear the standard mark. To guarantee that all goods adhere to Indian standards and are trustworthy and safe for consumers, they must be BIS certified. Compliance, though, can be challenging. BIS certification is more difficult to obtain than it first appears because it necessitates working with authorities, gathering samples for testing, and meeting BIS requirements.

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