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Silver Hallmark News: Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said BIS should consider implementing mandatory hallmarking
The government currently mandates hallmarking only for gold jewellery and artifacts. (Representative image)
Silver Hallmark News: Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday urged the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to explore the possibility of making hallmarking mandatory for silver and silver artifacts, citing growing consumer demand.
“There is a demand from consumers for hallmarking of silver. You (BIS) can deliberate and take a 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)
