Ø Fresh applications from industry,
laboratories and technical institutions under process
Ø 51 Government Approved Test Centres
already recognised; network set to expand further
Ø Several States notify GATC Rules in
alignment with amended central framework
·
Department
of Consumer Affairs is
expanding the network of Government
Approved Test Centres (GATCs) to strengthen verification
infrastructure for weights and measures.
·
51
GATCs have already been recognised,
with fresh applications from industries, laboratories and technical
institutions currently under examination.
·
Following
amendments to the Legal
Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, GATCs
can now cover 23
categories of weighing and measuring instruments.
·
Applications
are being assessed for
documentation, verification infrastructure, qualified technical personnel and
site inspection, in coordination with State Legal Metrology Departments.
·
Eligible
applicants
include industries, laboratories, engineering colleges, polytechnics, ITIs and
other testing facilities.
·
Several
States have notified their own GATC Rules, aligned with the amended central
framework, strengthening Centre-State coordination.
·
Key
instruments covered
include:
o Water, gas and energy meters
o Breath analysers
o Vehicle speedometers
o Weighing instruments
o Fuel dispensers for petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG, LNG and
hydrogen
·
GATCs
supplement State Legal Metrology Departments by undertaking verification and
re-verification of specified instruments, enabling government officers to focus
more on market
surveillance, risk-based inspections, enforcement and consumer grievances.
·
Ease
of Doing Business: The
expanded network is intended to provide more accessible and faster verification
services for businesses while maintaining measurement accuracy.
·
Consumer
protection: The
initiative aims to improve confidence and fairness in commercial transactions
through a larger,
technology-driven and technically competent verification network.
Effect: Expansion of GATCs will widen India’s
decentralised legal-metrology verification capacity, particularly for critical
measuring instruments used in energy,
transport, healthcare, retail, manufacturing and clean-energy sectors.
The Department of Consumer
Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, is
strengthening the country’s Legal Metrology verification infrastructure through
the expanding network of Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs). A
fresh round of applications for recognition has received strong response from industry,
laboratories and technical institutions across the country.
Following amendments to the Legal
Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, the scope of GATCs
has been broadened to cover 23 categories of weighing and measuring
instruments across sectors including healthcare, energy, transport, retail,
manufacturing, infrastructure and emerging clean-energy sectors.
The Department has continued to
invite eligible industries, laboratories, engineering colleges,
polytechnics, ITIs and testing facilities to seek recognition as GATCs.
Applications were once again invited through the Department’s online portal,
with the latest application window receiving active response from prospective
applicants.
A number of applications have been
received from eligible organisations following the latest call and are
presently under process by the Department in consultation with the concerned
State Legal Metrology Departments.
The applications are being examined
for:
·
Completeness of documentation;
·
Adequacy of verification infrastructure;
·
Availability of qualified technical personnel; and
·
Site inspection prior to grant of recognition.
With 51 GATCs already recognised
and a healthy pipeline of applications under active consideration, the GATC
network is set to expand further in the coming months, widening the base of
technically competent verification facilities available to industry and
consumers.
Key Highlights
·
Fresh round of applications for GATC recognition invited, with
strong response from industry, laboratories and technical institutions.
·
Applications received are under process, with site inspections and
technical verification being carried out in coordination with State Legal
Metrology Departments.
·
51 GATCs have already been recognised, with the network set to expand further as
more applications are approved.
·
Several States have finalised and notified their own GATC Rules,
aligning them with the amended central framework.
·
Verification scope covers 23 categories of instruments, including
water, gas and energy meters, breath analysers, vehicle speedometers, weighing
instruments and fuel dispensers for petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG, LNG and hydrogen.
·
The expanded network strengthens Ease of Doing Business while
reinforcing consumer protection, in line with India’s status as an OIML
Certification Authority.
Several States align GATC Rules with
amended central framework
In a significant development
reinforcing the Centre-State partnership underpinning the GATC
framework, several States have finalised and notified their own GATC Rules in
line with the amended central framework. This alignment at the State level is
expected to further deepen the reach of the verification ecosystem, enable smoother
coordination between State Legal Metrology Departments and recognised GATCs,
and support faster and more localised verification services for businesses and
consumers across the country.
GATCs supplement State Legal
Metrology infrastructure
The expansion of the GATC network is
a significant step in the Department’s ongoing efforts to modernise India’s
Legal Metrology ecosystem. By enabling technically competent private
institutions to undertake verification and re-verification of specified
weights and measures, the initiative supplements the capacity of State
Legal Metrology Departments.
This allows Legal Metrology Officers
to devote greater attention to:
·
Market surveillance;
·
Risk-based inspections;
·
Enforcement against serious violations; and
·
Consumer grievance redressal.
Verification covers 23 categories of
instruments
The expanded GATC framework covers 23
categories of weighing and measuring instruments, including:
·
Water, gas and energy meters;
·
Breath analysers;
·
Speedometers used to measure the speed of vehicles;
·
Weighing instruments; and
·
Fuel dispensers for petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG, LNG and hydrogen.
As the network of GATCs continues to
grow, supported by fresh applications and the alignment of State-level rules
with the central framework, the Department is steadily building a larger,
more accessible and technologically capable verification infrastructure.
The expansion reflects the combined efforts of the Legal Metrology system to
advance Ease of Doing Business while simultaneously strengthening consumer
protection and confidence in everyday commercial transactions.
The Department reiterates its
commitment to building a transparent, technology-driven and self-reliant
system of measurement verification that enhances fairness in trade and
protects the interests of consumers across the country.