Page 16 - BIS Ebook

Bureau of Indian Standards

Relics of Early standardization in the history of India

The concept of standardization
has deep roots in India. The
unearthed artefacts excavated
from the site of Mohenjo-Daro
and Harappa dating to the Indus
Valley civilization bear facts to
this. The later rulers of India
gave much emphasis of usage of
standard dimensions and
precisions. Rulers made of ivory
and marked in millimeters have
b e e n fo u n d d u r i n g a n
excavation in some ancient
cities.

Early in the 20th century, the importance of standardization was well understood as a means of organizing industry to
manufacture materials that adhered to benchmarks of specifications and quality control. The Railways was the first
organization to recognize the need for developing new standard designs and specifications. In December 1940, a proposal was
first mooted for the establishment of a standards institution for India, as it was felt that adoption of British and other standards
were not always suitable for the country. This led to the Department of Industries and Supplies issuing a Memorandum on
3rd September 1946, formally announcing the setting up of the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) with the objective inter-alia
of promoting standardization, and quality control. ISI came into being on 6th January 1947.

th
The tryst with standardization started on 6 January 1947 with ISI being registered as a society
under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The inaugural meeting of the General Council was held
at New Delhi on the same day whereby the ISI Constitution was approved.

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