The Department of Consumer Affairs has notified key amendments to the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013. These reforms mark a major milestone in strengthening India’s verification system for weights and measures.

The updated Rules aim to enhance consumer protection, promote ease of doing business, and align India’s verification practices with global standards.

Table of Contents

Expanded Scope of GATCs
Boosting Consumer Protection and Ease of Business
Aligning with Global Standards

They also seek to ensure accuracy, transparency, and fairness in every measurement that impacts trade and daily life.

Expanded Scope of GATCs

The amended Rules have greatly expanded the scope of Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs). They now cover a wider range of weighing and measuring instruments that are essential for trade, health, and public safety. Major instruments included under the revised Rules:

Water meters
Energy meters
Gas meters
Moisture meters
Flow meters
Sphygmomanometers
Clinical thermometers
Non-automatic weighing instruments

This expansion strengthens accuracy, transparency, and fairness in the country’s measurement verification system.

Boosting Consumer Protection and Ease of Business

The amendments support the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by promoting indigenous testing facilities and public-private partnerships. Regional Reference Standard Laboratories (RRSLs) and National Test House (NTH) laboratories have been recognized as deemed GATCs, creating a national verification network.

Regular and decentralized verification of key instruments like weighing scales and meters will ensure consumers get full value for their money. This move also allows State Legal Metrology Departments to focus on inspection, enforcement, and resolving consumer grievances.

The Rules also simplify the recognition process for GATCs. Applications must now be submitted to the Joint Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, with clear guidelines on inspection, staff qualifications, and technical requirements. Digital payment options and a new Fifth Schedule for harmonized fees make the process more transparent and efficient.

Aligning with Global Standards

These reforms align India’s metrology system with international best practices under the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML). India, now an OIML Certification Authority, can issue internationally recognized certificates for domestic manufacturers, reducing dependency on foreign agencies.

Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi, at the National Controller’s Conference in Goa on 25th October 2025, stated that this amendment is a significant step toward modernizing India’s legal metrology ecosystem. He highlighted that it allows industry participation, ensures measurement accuracy for consumers, and creates a transparent, technology-driven system that safeguards consumer rights.

The amendment to the Legal Metrology Rules marks a decisive step toward a transparent, self-reliant, and globally aligned measurement verification system. It ensures fairness in trade, strengthens consumer trust, and enhances India’s reputation in international markets.

Government Strengthens Verification Infrastructure through Amendments to the Legal Metrology (GATC) Rules, 2026

Parul Bohral