BIS Amends IS 1885 and IS 9968 Standards

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has issued Amendment No. 1 to two Indian Standards. These are IS 1885 (Part 85):2003, which relates to Electromagnetic Compatibility Terminology, and IS 9968 (Part 1):2025, which relates to Elastomer Insulated Cables Suitable for Operating Voltages Up to 1100 Volts.

Both of these amendments have come into force with effect from 31st July 2026. BIS issued a notification regarding these on 3rd August 2026, in accordance with Rule 15(1) of the Bureau of Indian Standards Rules, 2018. This notification has also been published in the Extraordinary Gazette of India on 10th August 2026.

Businesses do not have to stop using the unamended standards immediately. They will remain in force until 30 January 2027. This period gives manufacturers and other affected organizations time to obtain the amendments, study the changes, and check whether their products, testing procedures, technical records, or purchasing requirements need to be updated.

Notification at a Glance

The notification gives the numbers of the amendments along with the dates of their establishment and transition to the new standard. However, there is no description of the changes made to the standard itself. The text of the amendments is not included either.

A business cannot determine the full technical impact from the Gazette notification alone. The complete amendment text must be read in conjunction with the relevant standard before any changes are made to a product, test procedure, or compliance document.

The Regulatory Framework

BIS is India’s national standards body. It develops and publishes Indian Standards and administers various product certification and conformity assessment schemes under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.

This notification has been issued under Rule 15(1) of the Bureau of Indian Standards Rules, 2018. Its purpose is to formally record the establishment of Amendment No. 1 to the two standards listed in the schedule.

The publication of an amendment does not automatically mean that every product connected with the standard must obtain BIS certification. A standard may become compulsory through a Quality Control Order or another legal instrument. It may also apply due to a BIS license, certification scheme, government tender, purchase contract, or customer requirement.

Affected businesses should therefore read the notification alongside the complete amendments. They should also check any relevant Quality Control Order, BIS product manual, license condition, and later implementation instruction before deciding what action is required.

For IS 9968 (Part 1):2025, BIS had previously issued implementation guidelines for the move from the 1988 edition to the 2025 second revision. Those earlier guidelines addressed implementation by existing licensees and applicants. The present Gazette notification concerns Amendment No. 1 to the 2025 edition and must not be confused with the earlier revision exercise.

Standards Covered by the BIS Notification

The notification covers one vocabulary standard and one product specification.

IS 1885 (Part 85):2003 - Electromagnetic Compatibility

IS 1885 (Part 85):2003 is an electrotechnical vocabulary standard concerning electromagnetic compatibility, commonly shortened to EMC. Electromagnetic compatibility refers broadly to the ability of electrical or electronic equipment to operate in its electromagnetic environment without causing or suffering unacceptable interference.

The notification establishes Amendment No. 1 to this standard. However, it does not identify the terms, definitions, or references modified by the amendment.

Organizations using this vocabulary in specifications, laboratory reports, technical manuals, conformity documents, or contracts should compare their terminology with the complete July 2026 amendment before making changes.

IS 9968 (Part 1):2025 - Elastomer Insulated Cables

IS 9968 (Part 1):2025 covers elastomer-insulated cables for working voltages up to and including 1,100 volts. The listed edition is the second revision of the standard.

BIS has established Amendment No. 1, dated July 2026. It is not clear from the Gazette whether there is any alteration to the materials, dimensions, construction, testing, marking, performance conditions, or any other technical condition.

It should be noted that cable manufacturers, BIS licensees, applicants, test laboratories, and industry buyers should not make any inference on the basis of the Gazette alone as to what alterations there may be.

What Has Changed?

The BIS standards amendment 2026 makes the following verified changes:

• Amendment No. 1 to IS 1885 (Part 85):2003 has been formally established.
• Amendment No. 1 to IS 9968 (Part 1):2025 has been formally established.
• Both amendments are identified as July 2026 amendments.
• Their date of establishment is 31 July 2026.
• The standards without the amendments continue to remain in force until 30 January 2027.
• The Gazette notification does not reproduce the amended clauses or technical content.

An old-versus-new technical comparison cannot be prepared from this notification. Such a comparison would require the complete text of both amendments and the relevant base standards.

Date and Legal-Status Clarification

The document contains several dates with different meanings.

It is important to differentiate the establishment date, notification date, and Gazette date. As far as future dates for transition purposes, the most significant one according to the schedule is 30 January 2027.

Coexistence Period Until 30 January 2027

According to the schedule, there is a possibility that these two standards, without Amendment No. 1, will stay in force until 30 January 2027. During this period, affected businesses should determine:

• Whether the amended version can be implemented immediately.
• Whether an applicable BIS license or product manual requires a specific transition action.
• Whether fresh or supplementary testing is needed under separate BIS instructions.
• Whether product specifications, drawings, or quality documents refer to the correct version.
• Whether customers or tenders require the amended version before the transition period ends.
• How work in progress and existing inventory should be managed.

The Gazette does not specify the need for the withdrawal or destruction of existing stocks. Any such requirement should be supported by the entire amendment, by a Quality Control Order, or by a product manual and license instructions, among others.

After 30 January 2027, the standards without the amendments in July 2026 will no longer be valid. Businesses need to complete their assessment before this deadline, not after the transitional period expires. Companies should comply with the government rules.

What the Notification Does Not State

The notification has a narrow purpose. It establishes the two amendments and provides their transition dates. It does not expressly provide:

The substantive text of either amendment.

A clause-wise description of technical changes.

New test methods or testing frequencies.

Revised dimensions, materials, or performance values.

A new application or filing procedure.

A fresh BIS certification requirement.

Treatment of existing BIS licenses or pending applications.

A requirement to amend the scope of an existing license.

Documents or declarations to be submitted.

Fees, deposits, or other charges.

Exemptions or special stakeholder categories.

Penalties for non-compliance.

Stock disposal, recall, or relabelling instructions.

These matters should not be added to a compliance plan unless supported by the actual amendments or another applicable official instrument.

Impact on Businesses

Immediate business effects include determining whether either amendment is used in products, licenses, technical documents, tests, procurement specifications, or contractual agreements.

Manufacturers and BIS License Holders

Manufacturers working with IS 9968 (Part 1):2025 should obtain Amendment No. 1 and compare it against their existing manufacturing and quality controls.

The review may need to cover:

• Product varieties within the scope of the standard.
• Bills of materials and supplier specifications.
• Manufacturing instructions and inspection plans.
• Testing arrangements and laboratory capability.
• Marking and technical documentation.
• Existing scope of license and approved product varieties.

These are review areas, not confirmed changes under the Gazette. The amendment text and any BIS implementation instructions must determine the actual action.

Quality, Testing and Technical Teams

Testing and quality assurance teams should refrain from altering testing methodologies solely based on the notice. The Gazette confirms the existence of the amendment but does not indicate which parts of the document have been amended.

Technical staff must maintain copies of the base standard and its amendments in a controlled manner and ensure that they document their assessments and any changes made.

Users of IS 1885 (Part 85):2003 should also check to see if there are any terms mentioned in the amendment relevant to any reporting or other documents.

Procurement, Supply-Chain and Tender Teams

Purchase orders, tenders, and contracts may refer to a specific edition of an Indian Standard. Procurement teams should check whether documents refer to:

• The standard without any amendment.
• The standard with all amendments.
• A specific amendment number.
• The latest version in force.
• A separate customer or tender specification.

The legal and commercial effect will depend on the wording of each contract or tender. The BIS notification does not automatically rewrite an existing private agreement.

Suppliers should be asked for updated technical information only after the amendment’s relevance has been confirmed.

MSMEs

MSMEs might require more time to secure the amendment, assess technical controls, and liaise with laboratories and suppliers. However, the transition period provides sufficient time for preparation; the Gazette makes no mention of an exception for MSMEs.

Is This the Right Decision or an Additional Burden?

The BIS decision gives businesses until 30 January 2027 to move from the unamended standards to the amended versions. A transition period can reduce disruption because manufacturers, laboratories and technical teams have time to study the amendments and prepare any necessary changes.

However, the Gazette notification does not reproduce the technical content of either amendment. It is therefore not possible to assess the full benefits, costs, or implementation difficulty from this notification alone.

Why the Decision May Be Useful

These amendments may prove useful in keeping both of these Indian Standards technologically up-to-date and in accordance with industrial requirements. The period of transition might prove advantageous for these businesses since they would have the chance to:

• Review the complete amendments before changing existing processes.
• Assess their product specifications, test methods, and technical documents.
• Coordinate with laboratories, suppliers, and customers.
• Update internal quality controls in a planned manner.
• Clarify BIS license implications before the unamended standards cease to remain in force.

For IS 1885 (Part 85):2003, updated terminology may support consistency in electromagnetic compatibility documents and technical communication. For IS 9968 (Part 1):2025, the amendment may address technical aspects of elastomer-insulated cables, although the exact changes cannot be confirmed from the Gazette.

Where Businesses May Face an Additional Burden

Implementation could create extra work if the amendments require changes to:

• Cable design or manufacturing controls.
• Raw materials or supplier specifications.
• Testing methods or laboratory arrangements.
• Product marking or technical documentation.
• Existing BIS license records or approved product scopes.
• Procurement contracts and tender specifications.
• Inventory or work-in-progress planning.

MSMEs may find the transition more demanding if additional testing, technical support, or documentation is required. These possible effects remain business implications rather than confirmed obligations because the amendment text is not included in the notification.

Balanced Assessment

Providing a transition period until 30 January 2027 is a practical feature of the notification. It gives affected businesses time to study and prepare for the amended standards.

Whether the amendments represent a beneficial technical update or an additional compliance burden will depend on their actual provisions. A final assessment should be made only after reviewing Amendment No. 1 to both standards, applicable BIS product manuals, Quality Control Orders, and any later implementation instructions.

What Businesses Should Do Next

Companies should avoid using summaries to make decisions on technical issues. The amendment text should regulate any modification to the product, the test procedure, the technical file, or the application.

How Can Corpseed Help?

The Gazette notification confirms that the two standards have been amended, but it does not explain the technical changes introduced by those amendments. Manufacturers must therefore examine the complete amendment text and any related BIS directions before changing their products, tests, or compliance records.

Corpseed can help businesses understand what the notification means for their operations and identify the action genuinely required under the applicable BIS framework.

Check Whether the Standards Apply

The first step is to confirm whether either standard is relevant to the business. Corpseed can help determine:

• Whether a product falls within IS 9968 (Part 1):2025.
• Whether IS 1885 (Part 85):2003 affects technical terminology or documentation.
• Whether the standard is connected with an existing BIS license.
• Whether a Quality Control Order, product manual, or contract makes compliance necessary.

This assessment helps businesses avoid both unnecessary changes and missed obligations.

Review the Amendment and BIS Instructions

The Gazette gives the amendment number and transition dates but does not reproduce the amended provisions. Corpseed can review:

• The complete July 2026 amendment.
• The existing Indian Standard.
• Relevant BIS circulars and implementation guidelines.
• Applicable product manuals.
• License conditions and conformity-assessment requirements.

The review will focus on separating confirmed requirements from general business recommendations.

Identify Compliance Gaps

Once the technical changes are available, Corpseed can compare them with the manufacturer’s existing systems. The review may cover:

• Product specifications and technical drawings.
• Raw materials and supplier specifications.
• Manufacturing and inspection procedures.
• Testing methods and laboratory arrangements.
• Marking and labeling controls.
• Quality manuals and internal records.
• Existing test reports and technical files.

Any gaps found can then be organized by importance and by the applicable transition date.

Support BIS License Applications and Changes

If the amendment affects an existing or proposed BIS license, Corpseed can assist with:

• New BIS license applications.
• Amendments to an existing license.
• Review or extension of the licensed product scope.
• Addition of new product varieties.
• Preparation of supporting documents.
• Responses to BIS observations.
• License renewal and continuing compliance.

A license amendment, fresh application, or scope revision should be pursued only where the relevant BIS requirements call for it.

Coordinate Product Testing

Testing may be required if the amendment changes a technical or performance requirement. Where applicable, Corpseed can support businesses by:

• Identifying the relevant testing requirements.
• Coordinating with an appropriate recognized laboratory.
• Reviewing test parameters before sample submission.
• Organizing test reports and supporting records.
• Following up on documentation connected with testing.

The final testing requirement will depend on the amendment text, the product manual, and the directions issued by BIS.

Review Technical and Compliance Documents

Incorrect or outdated references in technical documents can create difficulties during an application, inspection, or customer review. Corpseed can examine:

• Product data sheets.
• Test reports.
• Quality-control plans.
• Inspection and production records.
• Supplier declarations.
• Internal change-control records.
• BIS application and license documents.

The objective is to ensure that each document refers to the correct standard, amendment, and product scope.

Prepare for BIS Audits and Inspections

Businesses holding or seeking a BIS license may need to demonstrate how they have implemented the applicable requirements. Corpseed can assist with:

• Reviewing available compliance evidence.
• Arranging technical and quality records.
• Identifying missing or inconsistent documents.
• Checking whether approved changes have been implemented.
• Preparing the responsible team for an audit or inspection.

This preparation will not ensure any specific result of the inspection or approval process, but will help the company submit truthful and well-organised documents.

Manage the Transition Period

Standards that lack Amendment No. 1 are valid until 30 January 2027. Corpseed can help affected companies manage this transition period by:

• Obtain and study the amendments.
• Plan necessary technical changes.
• Review inventory and work in progress.
• Communicate relevant changes to suppliers.
• Update procurement and customer specifications.
• Monitor further BIS directions.
• Maintain records of decisions and completed actions.

Get Document-Specific BIS Support

A BIS certification consultant can help manufacturers distinguish between what the Gazette expressly states and what may be required under a Quality Control Order, a product manual, a conformity-assessment scheme, or a license condition.

Companies that face issues with elastomer-insulated cables or any other BIS requirements can approach Corpseed for applicability assessment, amendments review, compliance gap assessment, testing, and assistance with BIS licensing. The approval process, testing results, and time involved shall depend on the BIS requirements.