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2/10/1950 - Indian Standards Institution by Richard Morse

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS RM T anover H Indian Standards Institution February Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue York N Y Dear Rogers About India Trade Commissioner Middle East reported buyers Indian prodcts often dissatisfied quality goods received Specific plaints quality goods wblch reach overseas chasers often lower ssmples tested chaser agent uniformity quality lacking Similar complaints various other parts world Inclu United States again reported official offlclal representatives Government India Indian traders industrialists This increasing demand overseas importers quality reliability quality challenge India current efforts redress recent unfavorable lance trade preserve increase value exports I lookout activity designed challenge Last August press release stated newly ormed Indian Standsrds Institution adresslng itself among other projects India export needs When New Delhi I therefore visited Indian Standards Institution We makeup worklns methods Director Dr Lal C Verman F N I F Inst P PhD MS Cornell BS EE Deputy Director Dr K L Moudgill MA Cantab DSc iGlasgow Travancore F R I C The present letter based talks Institution Constitution newly published ISI Bulletin which I subscription It seeks describe Indian approach development fundamental industrial standards dicate India export trade I The degrees fellowships cited indication importance overses traiing development modern Indian scientists Origin Con stitut The Indian Standards Institution Joint association government private interests latter including industrial commercial firms other consumer groups fessional asociatious universities It government controlled initially dependent government grants financing functioning depends heavily active participation private members H_ nnlngs Government sponsorship standards control India orlgius earliest significant elopment industrial standards British India In decision uarters London Calcutta foster increasing growth Indian industry placing orders Indian firms instead England railway supplies Indian lines A handful firms producing goods Co mpetition among insuffi cient bring about required quality standard Erom start Government Railway Board therefore found necess Indian railway manufactures before purchase By infant Tata Iron Steel Company awarded contract supply rails fishplates Railway Board built Inspection Testing Organi zation Calcutta laboratory facilities physical chemical metallurgical analysis From inception Organization undertook revision existing specifications mainly British origin formu lation Revised standards account servicbility products under India climatic graphical conditions special conditions manufactur India Apart Railway Board first Government Test House offered facilities fixed schedule private firms individuals Industries their service independent inspection testing authority which could verify certify quality prodmcts Indian industries indicate manfacturer respects product short acceptable standards investigate failures defects materials determine their cause suggest means their elimination This historical account mainly summary article History Standardization India R G Burt Deputy Dir ector General Industries Supplies Retired Government India SI Bul April R G Burr World War I creating munitions other industries India cused expansion standards organizations In Institution Engineers India became India Committee British Standards Institution undertook techni spadework latter draft specifications India The Inspection Testing Organization expanded moved became newly created Indian Stores Department In Central Standards Office Railways establlshed Iu period these bodies drafted authorized total standards speci fications revieviug modifying existing specifications requirements Norld War II brought standards organizations being occupied existing bodies creation emergency specifications eabliu stitute material permitting quantity production expense given degree quality Agricultural produce within realm stsndards control under Agricultural Produce Grading Marking Act This Act authorized formulation standard grade specifications known AGMAK specifications produce agriculture animal husbandry forestry Producers however bound observe these specifications traders generally accept About Rs O00 O00 produce India marketed agricultural produce chiefly urban consumptio items vegetable butter export items tobacco Through period Government largest single rchaser goods chief source standards developments With exceptions Government standards offices focussed significantly goods enter India export trade Inferior quality fodder cutters other Indian agricultural implements which rural consumers example which I vivid memory those considerable areas domestic market which Government standards reguirements touched At consumers themselves organ demand better quality while importsnt lines duction competition foreign imports works slowly force Indian firms attain standards Indian Government standards offices generally adopted stand vanced industrial nations usually Britain America S basis their specifications This charge Indian industries deliberately handicapped having standards established under different conditions Mr R G Burt after years association standards development India replied follows charge No specifica based B ritish startdard adopted India careful consideration point facture India The industry freely consulted modifications suggestion Further Mr Butt In range industries Indian dustrles shown themselves capable meeting require ments British standard specifications other standards ofhlgh quallty Nevertheless words Governmeut India Resolu which established Indian Standards Institution September increasing Brit other standards always suitable adoption country diversity materials available India processes employed manufactre This diversity prospect aiding furgher rowth caliber Indian industry demand India central standards organization Pres makeuo roced Overall Government control The Indian Staudards Institution makehp principles operation Memorandum Association Rules Regulations which founder members filed Registrar Joint Stock Compaules The Minister Industries Supplies Government India President Indian Standards Institution governing General Council Membership Institution person institu interested preparation promotion standards including governments particip ating countries states By total members enrolled corporations professional associations which Rs annual sustalniug members For years Government India assured Indian Standards Institution supporting financial grant Thereafter hoped membership contributions commercial industrial firms receipts Indian Standards ISI publications render suppong Already income Rs OO0 including government grant budgeted activities exceed expected income All classes members assigned representation General Council Examination prescribed makeup General Council suggests however slight majority members likely represeutatives Government Government controlled organizations Business General Council generally decided The President however refer matter which considers sufficiently import Government India whose decision matter binding R G Burt Four founders represeuted private industry other actiug behalf Central Government ministries provincial state departments industry Aside appointing Director staff supervising general administration General Council decides technical dlvlsious shall undertake adopts anges publication Indian Standards prepared techni committees conduct relations other national standard bodies International Standards 0rganiza PriE ate__inflnce The Engineering Textile Chemical Division Councils which conduct Institution dominated users manufacturers products minority Government representation Any Institution member author itative apply standardizatio product The Division Council concerned thereupon consults producer consumer interests decides whether standardization product material needed generally recognized Approval decision General Council Executive Committee required before product commenc The Division Council appoints Sectional Committee product which interests cerned including scientists techniclsns predominant representation consumers product The Sectional Committee makes needed technical investigation drafts proposed standard The standard widely circulated least three mouths interested parties including those overseas criticism suggestions After considering incorporating comments making final laboratory checks Sectloual Committee prepares final draft Thes final specifications accepted Division Council Executive Committee General Council They published Indian Standards Afte blicatlon Division Council review standard periodically necessary The makeup procedures Division Sectional bodies ensure parties interested product opportunity participate preparation standard specifications Much investigation mixed committees using research facilities private industry universities ntional research institutes because Indian Standards Institution limited laboratory facili Dr Moudgill informed industrial firms cooperatin actively Two hundred Section subcommittees preparing Indian Standards products Sandardizat Sects UUderay Iu of_exports At Ministry Commerce quality Indiau export goods received priority attet Iudia Standards Iustltutiou Prominent among studied results October La__c India produces world output Formerly maufactre bleache mschine shellac exoort I recent years European America buyers icreasigly Importe Idia manufacture themselves To regai msrket manufactures Idia improve maufactur techniques assurance stsudardized ality The Indian Standards Institution circulated drfInian ta8ard specifications shellac ble2ched shellac Chemical analysis basis these specifications place trade descriotions based mainly Indian trees Representatives eight countries invited India Delhi early participate In ternational Standards Organization Tenhnical Committee Shellac which India holds secretsriat Mica The world largest exporter blocks films splittings India assigned Internations Standards OrEauizatiou secretarial preparation standards This timely Americsu buyers complined uncertain quality indian The Engineering Division draft standards Method Grading Processed Classification Processed Ica circulated abroad finalized Iid Standards Six countries invited participate international standardization Delhi early Jute A Sectional Committee Textile Division Council worked manufacturers control quality Jute ducts establlsblng standard techniques instruments rance limits various physical properties fibre fabric Jute Au rticle June ISI Bulletin cusses technical problems raised peculiarities Jute fibre compared cotton Two draft standards Jute circulated Sectional Committee Wo0 Though exporting little other carpet quality India complaints particularly America foreign matter shipments excessive quality varies The Textile Division Council circulated final Iudlau Standard Specification Wool Export grades based color quality Manga Draft stsndards Metallurgical Grade Battery Grade Manganese rewritten include methods sampling chemical analysis In circulation To Sist Indi Udustry ental Two lished Indian Standards Rounding Numerical Values Inch Millimeter Conversion nature undament standards On extremely complex problem standardiza weights measures radual adoption metric system throughout India Institution special committee Work Industrial standards The following sample subjects Stand nstitbi iquiries listed indicate variety processes products being taken standardization Engineering Divlslon Timber plywood electric accessories batteries refractories abrasives cement standard atmos pheric couditlons testing Textile Division Standard identification textile fibers testing cotton textiles cordages resistance attack micro organisins Chemical Division marine products paints pigment solvents industrial gases lubricants Legls upport standards TO support existing forthcoming standards encourage quality control domestic overseas purchasers Indian Standards Institution prepared draft ISI Certification Marks Act forwarded Government India introduced national parliament Under draft Act producer would licensed ISI Certification Mark ISI satisfied produce goods standard specifications operation program controlling production To guard aainst misuse ISI would authority conduct random checks goods bearing ISI Certification Mark eproposed legis lation would enable Government India export selected goods unless ISI Certification Mark If le8islation enacted likely effect One should learn reactions commercial producing rests answer question confidence This I To sggest possible alternative results I shall therefore merely recent history export products 8raded under AGMAM procedure During British Government protested quality tobacco reaching United Kingdom India The Government Ind thereupon acted inspect export these products except AGAK stand In tobacco foreign buyers recognize accept AGMARK grades giving price quotations placing orders F O B Indian place signment buying through commission houses Firm London price quotations AGMAJ graded tobacco reach Indian farmer bargalniug position merchant Tobacco 8rowers areas started coopera grading processing competitive price exists tobacco Iu trade resisted Government intervention significant improvement exort advantage producers taken place Such resistance traders significantly limited success Agricultural Produce Grading Marking Act Producers ltimate buyers especially manufacturers buying materials approve grading traders cipate encroachment competitors established trade patterns standards control becomes general Commission houses brokers effective grading practices eventually consignment buying which their business For reasons traders expected Government support standards control important commodities opposed Whether story tobacco prevail years I Here I record tslkingwlth Indian Standards Institution officials impressed their quiet confidence enged worthwhile The Institution sizeable actlvs membership written ISIBul suggest gained considerable responsible support position Indian industry trade receive Increas assistance Sincerely yours chard Morse See Some Aspects Grading Standardization Agrl cultural Products India T G Shirname Arlcultural keting Adviser Government India I Farmlng January pages pages Received New York