Overview
Scheme-X is a conformity assessment scheme added to Schedule II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. It was created to certify electrical equipment and machinery under technical regulations issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).
Today, Scheme-X is used for low-voltage switchgear and controlgear covered by the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Order, 2020 (S.O. 4044(E), 11 November 2020), as amended in 2023 and 2024. BIS’s licensing process for these products is set out in its Guidelines for Grant of Licence under Scheme-X, and applications are made on Manakonline at https://www.manakonline.in.
Scheme-X was also intended to be used for the much wider Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024, issued by MHI in August 2024. Its enforcement was deferred more than once, and industry and legal sources report that MHI rescinded the order in January 2026.
Note: The OTR was widely reported as rescinded in January 2026, while the Electrical Equipment QCO continues with phased dates, some of which were deferred by a notification of November 2025. Check the BIS page for Scheme-X products at https://www.bis.gov.in/products-under-compulsory-certification-scheme-x/ for the current position of your product and rating.
Who needs it
- Indian manufacturers of low-voltage switchgear and controlgear covered by the Electrical Equipment QCO.
- Foreign manufacturers exporting covered products to India. They apply for a licence for their overseas factory.
- Importers, distributors and panel builders cannot hold a licence themselves, but must buy covered products only from licensed manufacturers.
Goods made only for export are generally outside the QCO.
Products covered
BIS lists eight categories of low-voltage switchgear and controlgear under the Electrical Equipment QCO, each linked to a part of the IS/IEC 60947 series or a related standard. Examples include:
| Product | Typical standard family |
|---|---|
| Air circuit breakers, moulded case circuit breakers | IS/IEC 60947-2 |
| Switches, disconnectors, switch-disconnectors, fuse-combination units | IS/IEC 60947-3 |
| Contactors and motor starters | IS/IEC 60947-4-1 |
| Control circuit devices and switching elements | IS/IEC 60947-5-1 |
| Multiple function equipment | IS/IEC 60947-6 series |
Implementation is phased by product and rating. The BIS product-specific information page sets out the standard, scope and dates for each category.
Documents required
- Technical file for the product, as listed in BIS’s product manual (BIS can reject an application without a complete technical file)
- Manufacturing unit registration and address proof
- Manufacturing process flow and list of plant and machinery
- In-house testing facilities, calibration records and QC staff details
- Test reports from BIS-recognised laboratories covering the ratings applied for
- Brand and trademark details (reported to BIS for information)
- Authorised Indian Representative documents, for overseas factories
Process
- Identify the standard and ratings. Confirm the Indian Standard, the product category and the ratings to be licensed.
- Prepare the technical file. Compile design data, drawings, bill of materials, critical components and the test plan.
- Test at recognised labs. Have samples tested at BIS-recognised laboratories. BIS requires a full test sequence to be completed in one lab, and accessories supplied with the product must also be tested.
- Apply on Manakonline. One application per product standard and per factory location.
- Factory assessment. BIS assesses manufacturing infrastructure, process controls, quality control and testing capability.
- Grant. On satisfactory results, BIS grants the licence. The Standard Mark must appear on the product and packaging.
Validity, renewal & surveillance
BIS’s Scheme-X FAQs describe a longer initial licence period than under Scheme-I, stated as between three and six years. Additional ratings or varieties can be included later through an updated technical file and, where needed, further testing. BIS carries out surveillance through factory visits and samples drawn from the factory and the market.
Note: Fees, validity and the list of covered products are set by BIS and MHI and change over time. We’ll give you a current fee estimate when we scope your licence.
How Aaditech helps
Electrical equipment is our home ground. Aaditech is an NABCB-accredited Type A inspection body under ISO/IEC 17020:2012 for electrical equipment (certificate IB 024). Our CEO, Mr B.K. Jain, is an ex-Director of the Bureau of Indian Standards who headed its electrical laboratory, and our Chief Advisor, Mr Anupam Kaul, chairs several BIS committees.
- Applicability check: is your product and rating covered now, in a later phase, or not at all?
- Technical file preparation in the structure BIS’s product manuals expect.
- Test planning: choosing representative ratings and a recognised lab, and reviewing whether existing reports can be used.
- Factory assessment readiness: process controls, in-house testing and records reviewed before the BIS visit.
- Manakonline filing and query handling through to grant.
- Ongoing updates on QCO phases, deferments and the status of the machinery and electrical equipment regulation.
Our electrical clients include Havells, Polycab and CHINT. Speak to us about your switchgear range.
