Chennai: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Chennai Branch Office, will organise an MSME Stakeholder Conclave on 9th October 2026, in collaboration with the MSME Development and Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), Chennai, with a focus on strengthening awareness around standards, product quality and BIS certification among Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
Scheduled from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm at the MSME Development and Facilitation Office in Chennai, the conclave is designed to help MSMEs understand the regulatory and quality ecosystem that increasingly shapes manufacturing, market access and customer confidence.
The programme will cover a broad range of areas, including BIS licensing, Quality Control Order (QCO) compliance, voluntary certification, concessions and relaxations available to MSMEs, testing facilities and financial assistance for MSME clusters.
Under the BIS framework, product certification is generally voluntary, but for products brought under a Quality Control Order, compliance with the relevant Indian Standard and use of the prescribed Standard Mark become mandatory. BIS currently maintains separate certification pathways for products covered under compulsory certification and other conformity-assessment schemes. Bureau of Indian Standards
For manufacturers, obtaining a BIS licence can involve identifying the applicable Indian Standard, establishing suitable manufacturing and process controls, maintaining testing capability and successfully demonstrating product conformity. BIS may assess manufacturing infrastructure and quality-control systems through factory evaluation and product testing. Bureau of Indian Standards
The Chennai conclave is therefore expected to be especially useful for MSMEs that are either planning to enter regulated product categories or looking to strengthen their quality systems before expanding into larger domestic or export markets.
A significant aspect of the programme will be direct interaction with BIS experts, allowing participating businesses to seek clarity on licensing requirements, certification procedures, testing obligations and the support mechanisms available to smaller enterprises.
The sessions on concessions and relaxations for MSMEs are also expected to be relevant for companies concerned about the cost and complexity of formal certification. BIS has specific mechanisms supporting MSMEs, including provisions related to product certification and the use of cluster-based testing facilities. Bureau of Indian Standards
For the jewellery and allied manufacturing sector, the programme has broader relevance beyond hallmarking alone. Jewellery manufacturers, machinery makers, tool suppliers, component manufacturers and technology companies increasingly operate within a quality-driven ecosystem where standards, testing and documented process controls influence procurement, institutional sales and export competitiveness.
The BIS Chennai Branch Office itself handles activities spanning standards, licensing, surveillance, standard promotion, management-system certification and hallmarking-jeweller registration, making the event particularly relevant to businesses that operate across jewellery manufacturing and allied industrial segments. Bureau of Indian Standards
The conclave also places emphasis on quality and technology upgradation, an area becoming increasingly important as MSMEs adopt advanced manufacturing systems, automation, digital production technologies and tighter process controls.
For jewellery businesses, this could translate into greater awareness around how formal standards and certification intersect with machinery, electrical equipment, workshop infrastructure, testing systems and other products used in the manufacturing chain.
The initiative also reflects a broader effort by BIS and MSME authorities to make technical compliance more accessible to smaller manufacturers by combining regulatory awareness with practical guidance and institutional support.
MSMEs across manufacturing and allied sectors have been invited to participate in the programme.
Event Details
- Date: October 9, 2026
- Time: 9:30 am to 1:00 pm
- Venue: MSME Development and Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), Chennai
- Organised by: BIS Chennai Branch Office in collaboration with MSME-DFO Chennai