Sri Vijaya Puram, November 11: Awareness of product standards, certification and consumer safety among students, government officials and industrial workers took centre stage at a two-day Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) workshop in Sri Vijaya Puram, which brought together around 150 participants from different sectors to discuss the role of quality standards in everyday products and public services.
The BIS Chennai Branch Office organised the programme on November 4 and 5 in collaboration with the Directorate of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (CS&CA), Andaman and Nicobar Administration, at the directorate’s premises.
The workshop covered the importance of Indian Standards, product quality, safety, standardisation and consumer protection through separate sessions for academic institutions, government officials and industrial personnel.
The first day’s programme focused on students and academic participants, with around 50 students attending. Sai Chandra, Scientist-C/DD, BIS Chennai Branch Office, introduced the objectives of the workshop, while the Director of CS&CA inaugurated the session and addressed the importance of developing awareness of quality and standardisation among young people.
Pakki Balu, Scientist-C/DD, BIS Chennai Branch Office, explained BIS’s role in developing Indian Standards, product certification and safety requirements. The session also examined the BIS Standards Clubs initiative, which engages students through awareness programmes, quizzes, poster-making competitions and projects related to standardisation. The discussions highlighted the role of such activities in encouraging students to become informed and responsible consumers.
The second day began with a session for approximately 75 CS&CA officials. Rajesh Kumar, Deputy Director of the directorate, inaugurated the programme and discussed the relevance of Indian Standards in government operations, public service delivery and consumer protection.
Sai Chandra and Pakki Balu jointly conducted the technical sessions, covering BIS functions, certification schemes, quality assurance and the application of standards to improve the safety and reliability of products and services. They also discussed possible collaboration between BIS and government departments to expand awareness of quality standards.
An afternoon session on November 5 brought together around 25 industrial personnel. Pakki Balu addressed the adoption of relevant Indian Standards in industrial operations, quality management, product conformity and BIS certification. The discussion also covered how standardisation can contribute to product quality, safety and competitiveness.
The programme formed part of BIS Chennai Branch Office’s efforts to extend standards awareness across academic institutions, government departments and industries in the islands, while strengthening institutional coordination with the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
