The Bureau of Indian Standards on 21st July 2022, has published 10 Indian Standards on safety aspects of Toys related to physical safety, safety against chemicals, flammability, electrical safety etc. These standards prevent the use of unsafe and toxic materials in manufacturing of toys.
BIS grants licences to toy manufacturing units based on an assessment of their manufacturing and testing capability through factory visit as well as testing of toys in a BIS Lab or BIS Recognized Lab as per the Indian Standards. No person is permitted to manufacture, import sell or distribute, store, hire, lease or exhibit for sale toys which do not conform to the Indian Standard and do not bear BIS Standard Mark i.e. “ISI Mark” under a licence from BIS.
Before a licence is granted, toys undergo stringent tests for various physical, chemical and electrical safety requirements to ensure that they are safe for children. Even after BIS licence is granted, toy manufacturing units are required to ensure that the toys produced by them are tested regularly and follow a defined Scheme of Inspection and Testing. As a part of its market and factory surveillance activities, BIS conducts surveillance visits at the licensed manufacturing units and also draws samples of toys from the factories and the market and gets them tested at BIS labs and BIS recognized labs.
Consumers should ensure that they purchase only safe toys bearing the “ISI Mark” from the market. Also, consumers must complaint if they see any toy being sold without the “ISI Mark”. Complaints can be filed through BIS Care app (download from Google Play Store) or write to complaints@bis.gov.in.
