NewsGovernment Grants GATC Status to 11 Private Entities, Expands Metrology Verification Scope to 18 CategoriesGovernment Grants GATC Status to 11 Private Entities, Expands Metrology Verification Scope to 18 Categories
The Department of Consumer Affairs has issued 12 Government Approved Test Centre (GATC) certificates to 11 private entities, expanding India's legal metrology verification network. This follows amendments to the Legal Metrology Rules, broadening the scope to 18 instrument categories including healthcare devices, energy meters, and industrial measurement tools. The move aims to improve accuracy in weights and measures while easing compliance for businesses. Existing government laboratories will continue to operate alongside the new private centers.
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The Department of Consumer Affairs announced on December 24 that it has granted 12 Government Approved Test Centre (GATC) certificates to 11 private entities, marking a significant expansion of India's legal metrology verification network through a public-private partnership framework. This move broadens the scope of legal metrology verification to cover 18 instrument categories.
Expanded Regulatory Framework
The certification follows amendments to the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, which were notified on October 23. The amended framework has significantly broadened the scope for recognising qualified private entities as authorised centres for verification and re-verification of weighing and measuring instruments.
Under the new rules, GATC coverage has been expanded to encompass 18 categories of instruments, reflecting the government's focus on evolving requirements across multiple sectors:
| Instrument Categories | Coverage Areas |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Sphygmomanometers, Clinical thermometers |
| Energy & Utilities | Water meters, Energy meters, Gas meters |
| Industrial Measurement | Flow meters, Moisture meters, Load cells |
| Transport & Safety | Breath analysers, Vehicle speed meters |
| Commercial Weighing | Non-automatic weighing instruments, Beam scales |
| Infrastructure | Automatic rail weighbridges, Multi-dimensional measuring instruments |
| General Measurement | Tape measures, Counter machines, Weights of all categories |
Digital Application Process
Following the amendment, the Department of Consumer Affairs launched an online portal to streamline applications from eligible private entities. The application process was conducted through a digital and time-bound system, with submissions closing on November 30.
The department emphasized that this expanded framework aims to improve accuracy and reliability in weights and measures used in trade and consumer transactions, while simultaneously easing compliance and reducing turnaround time for manufacturers, traders, and service providers.
Continuity of Existing Infrastructure
The new framework ensures operational continuity by allowing existing infrastructure to function alongside private entities. Regional Reference Standard Laboratories (RRSLs) and National Test House (NTH) laboratories will continue operating as deemed GATCs, maintaining the integrity of the verification network.
This arrangement enables state legal metrology officials to focus their resources on inspection, enforcement, and grievance redressal activities, while private entities handle verification services under the expanded scope.
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