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Silver Hallmark News: Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi stated BIS ought to take into consideration carrying out compulsory hallmarking
The federal government presently mandates hallmarking just for gold jewelry and artefacts. (Representative photo)
Silver Hallmark News: Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday advised the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to check out the opportunity of making hallmarking compulsory for silver and silver artefacts, mentioning expanding customer need.
“There is a need from customers for hallmarking of silver. You (BIS) can mull over and take a phone call,” Joshi said at the 78th BIS Foundation Day event.
Currently, the government mandates hallmarking only for gold jewellery and artifacts to protect consumer interests and ensure authenticity.
The existing hallmarking system incorporates a unique six-digit alphanumeric code (HUID) to certify the purity of gold.
Expanding hallmarking to include silver would represent a major step forward in strengthening India’s quality assurance framework for precious metals.
What is Hallmarking?
Hallmarking is the process of certifying the purity and quality of precious metals, such as gold and silver. It ensures that the metal meets the prescribed standards set by regulatory authorities.
A hallmark on a piece of jewellery typically includes:
- BIS Standard Mark – Indicates certification by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
- Purity/Fineness Grade – Represents the purity of the metal (e.g., 22K or 916 for 22-karat gold).
- Assaying and Hallmarking Centre’s Mark – Identifies the center where the purity was tested.
- Jeweller’s Identification Mark/Code – Identifies the manufacturer or jeweller.
What is BIS?
The Bureau of Indian Standards is the national standards body of India, functioning under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. It was established to formulate, implement, and certify standards for products, processes, and systems to ensure safety, quality, and reliability.
(With PTI inputs)
