Toys are a perfect source of amusement for children as they keep them entertained and engaged for hours. It is, hence, imperative that we stay watchful and purchase only safe toys. According to the National Safe Kids Program data, around 100,000 children cared for toy-related accidents in hospitals last year.
To promote public safety, the DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, rolled out The Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020, which makes it compulsory that all the toys produce and sold in our country must have BIS license under Scheme 1 of Schedule 2 of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. This order also covers those toys that are imported from other nations.
Basic Requirement for Manufacturers to Avail the BIS License for Toys
- BIS has already shared information regarding the procedure for the certification of toys. This involves typical steps such as manufacturer’s on-site verification, quality testing of toys in view of Indian Standards, IS 9873 Series (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 & 9), and IS 15644. It also provides manufacturers with a necessity to install in-house testing facilities for toys in the view of IS 9873 (Pt 1), IS 9873 (Pt 2), and IS 9873 (Pt 4).
- For the rest of the Indian Standards, i.e., IS 9873 (Pt 3), IS 9873 (Pt 7), IS 9873 (Pt 9) & IS 15644, manufacturers are required to have an arrangement for testing the samples at one of the BIS certified laboratories
- In view of the above order, BIS has started the process of grant a license to Toy’s manufacturers to use the BIS mark as per Scheme I of Schedule II (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Read our article:How to Obtain BIS Certification in India?
Procedure to be followed for the Grant of BIS License for Toys
The toy manufacturer must file an online application on the BIS portal along with the requested documents. The BIS will approve the application post-verification, and then proceed for on-site verification of the manufacturer.
The authority will appoint an officer to conduct a sampling inspection of toys as per the relevant Indian Standards. After selecting the desired samples, the office will send the same to one of the BIS-recognized labs. If the officer finds everything in order during her/her assessment, the BIS will confer a license to the manufacturer. Those domestic toy manufacturers who wish to obtain BIS registration need to perform the following steps.
On the other hand, foreign Manufacturers are required to visit the same portal and head over to the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme. After that, they were required to select the option “Conformity Assessment” followed by “FMCS.”
Sampling Guidelines under Product Manual for Toy’s Safety as per IS 9873 & IS 15644
For the certification’s purpose, toys have been classified into two types. Each type will be covered by Primary and secondary standards, respectively, as given in the table below. Standards against which testing may also be required shall be considered as the secondary standards.
| SL. No | Type | Primary Standard Application | Secondary Standards applicable |
| 1. | Non-Electric Toys | IS 9873 Part 1 | IS 9873 Parts 2, 3,4, 7 & 9 |
| 2. | Electric Toys | IS 15644 | IS 9873 Parts 1, 2, 3,4, 7 & 9 |
While applying for a BIS license, Manufacturers may opt for one of the primary standards based on the type of product for which license is needed. The single license cannot entertain multiple toy range. Manufacturers are required to avail separate licenses for each product type in such cases. BIS shall conduct a test on the sample for conformity to the primary & secondary standards, i.e., IS 9873 parts 2,3,4,7, and 9, etc.
Essential Points to Ponders Regarding BIS License
- The marketer and the distributor of toys are not required to obtain the BIS license. The provision for the same is duly mentioned under the Scheme-I of Schedule-II of BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
- Manufacturers having several units across the state or country have to make a separate application for each unit to obtain a BIS license.
- The domestic manufacturer needs to visit (www.manakonline.in) to apply for BIS license issuance.
- On the other hand, the foreign manufacturer must visit www.bis.gov.in and download the application from the BIS license. After completing the form, the manufacturers are required to submit the same to the BIS Foreign Manufacturers Certification Department (FMCD) located in Manakalaya, BIS HQ, New Delhi.
- Manufacturers producing non-electric toys do not require setting up in-house testing facilities as per IS 9873 (Part 1):2019. These tests can be subcontracted to BIS-certified Labs.
- Conversely, the electric toy producers need to establish test facilities for 3 of the requirements of IS 15644:2006.
- Manak online portal renders regular updates to the applicant regarding the application status for the BIS license. The application status can be accessed from the portal’s dashboard.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Indian government has become relentlessly watchful for the safety of the toys manufactured and imported into our country. After rolling out the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020, the government is expecting manufacturers to produce safer toys on a protracted basis.
Since the Indian toy market is thriving rapidly, this opens the door to generic products that are low on quality and are potentially hazardous for the child’s health. The inculcation of the standards above will curb such happening and keeps the dangerous and contaminated toys beyond the reach of the Indian consumer. Feel free to ask anything regarding the BIS license by dropping your valuable queries in the comment box. Â
Read our article:BIS Registration Process- A Step by Step Guide
