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 catalyze a multitude of collaborative endeavors,
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.