The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, for the establishment of the ‘BIS Standardization Chair Professor’ at the latter. This initiative formalised on July 3, 2024, marks a significant step towards institutionalising BIS’s collaboration with leading academic and research establishments across India.
The BIS Standardization Chair Professor aims to foster a robust partnership between BIS and IISc, promoting collaborative activities in Standardization and Conformity Assessment on the principles of equality and reciprocity. This collaboration is a strategic move to secure active academic participation in standards formulation and make teaching Indian standards an integral part of academic curricula.
The establishment of the BIS Standardization Chair at IISc is expected to serve as a catalyst for a multitude of collaborative endeavours, including:
Integration of Standardization Curricula: Incorporating standardization topics into academic programs to educate and train future professionals on the importance and application of standards.
- Active Participation in Standardization Activities: Engaging academia in national and international standardization efforts through involvement with BIS’s technical committees.
- Infrastructure Support for R&D: Providing essential infrastructure for research and development projects related to standardization and conformity assessment.
- Co-hosting Events: Organizing seminars, conferences, workshops, symposia, and lectures to promote knowledge sharing and professional development in standardization.
- Knowledge Sharing: Publishing research and findings to contribute to the body of knowledge in standardization and conformity assessment.
- Exploring Centres of Excellence: Investigating the establishment of Centres of Excellence dedicated to standardization, testing, and conformity assessment.
- Laboratory Facilities: Sharing state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to support research and testing initiatives.
This MoU with IISc is part of a larger initiative by BIS to collaborate with premier institutions across India. Similar MoUs have been signed with prominent institutions such as IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, NIT Rourkela, and NIT Trichy. These collaborations enhance the standards formulation process by integrating academic expertise and promoting research and innovation in standardization.
On the occasion, Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari, Director General of BIS, expressed his anticipation about the partnership with IISc. “The MoU between IISc and BIS will significantly strengthen and enhance standards formulation activities by facilitating R&D projects, encouraging the involvement of young minds in the standardization process, and jointly organizing educational and professional events. We anticipate that technology innovation and standards development will be seamlessly integrated to foster the development of technology-oriented products and services,” said the Director General of BIS.
Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc, also shared his commitment to this initiative. He also assured that IISc would actively collaborate with BIS, emphasizing the institute’s dedication to advancing the field of standardization through education and research.
This collaboration between BIS and IISc is anticipated to bring significant advancements in standardization and conformity assessment, ultimately contributing to developing safer, more reliable products and services in India. By integrating standardization into academic and research frameworks, BIS and IISc aim to cultivate a new generation of professionals who are well-versed in the critical importance of standards.