Bengaluru: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has announced a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 3, 2024. This agreement formalizes the establishment of the ‘BIS Standardization Chair Professor’ at IISc, marking a significant milestone in enhancing collaboration between BIS and leading academic institutions in India.
The BIS Standardization Chair Professor initiative aims to create a robust partnership between BIS and IISc, focusing on standardization and conformity assessment. The collaboration is designed to integrate the principles of equality and reciprocity into academic and research activities, ensuring that Indian standards become a core component of academic curricula and research.
Key Objectives of the Collaboration:
- Integration of Standardization Curricula: Incorporating topics related to standardization into academic programs at IISc to educate and train future professionals on the significance and application of standards.
- Active Participation in Standardization Activities: Engaging IISc’s academic community in national and international standardization efforts through active involvement with BIS’s technical committees.
- Infrastructure Support for R&D: Providing essential infrastructure to support research and development projects related to standardization and conformity assessment.
- Co-hosting Events: Organizing seminars, conferences, workshops, and symposia to foster knowledge sharing and professional development in the field of standardization.
- Knowledge Sharing: Publishing research findings to contribute to the broader understanding of standardization and conformity assessment.
- Exploring Centres of Excellence: Investigating the possibility of establishing dedicated Centres of Excellence for standardization, testing, and conformity assessment.
- Laboratory Facilities: Sharing state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to support research and testing initiatives.
The MoU with IISc is part of BIS’s broader initiative to collaborate with premier institutions across India. Similar agreements have been reached with esteemed institutions such as IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, NIT Rourkela, and NIT Trichy. These collaborations aim to enhance the standards formulation process by integrating academic expertise and promoting research and innovation.
Statements from Key Figures:
Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari, Director General of BIS, expressed optimism about the partnership, stating, “The MoU between IISc and BIS will significantly strengthen and enhance standards formulation activities. It will facilitate R&D projects, encourage the involvement of young minds in the standardization process, and support the joint organization of educational and professional events. We anticipate that this collaboration will seamlessly integrate technology innovation and standards development, fostering the creation of technology-oriented products and services.”
Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc, reaffirmed his commitment to the initiative, emphasizing IISc’s dedication to advancing the field of standardization through education and research. “We are excited about this partnership and look forward to actively collaborating with BIS to further the development of standardization practices and contribute to the growth of safe and reliable products and services in India.”