The Indian government has taken a significant step toward modernizing its verification infrastructure by launching a dedicated online portal that allows private industries, laboratories, and testing facilities to apply for recognition as Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs). This digital initiative, which remains open for applications until 30 November, represents a major shift in the country's approach to measurement verification.
Expanding India's Verification Capacity
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced on Wednesday that this strategic move is expected to substantially expand India's verification capacity while bringing greater transparency, accuracy, and efficiency to trade measurement systems. The portal launch follows the 23 October amendment to the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, which now empowers private entities to verify weighing and measuring instruments - a function traditionally handled exclusively by government facilities.
This reform comes at a crucial time when Indian industries are expanding rapidly, and the demand for certification and verification has significantly outpaced the capacity of state departments. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare emphasized that "the digital platform is designed to simplify the process of applying for recognition, fee payment, and status tracking, thereby ensuring faster and more transparent approvals."
Eligibility and Instrument Categories
Private laboratories possessing adequate infrastructure, calibration facilities, and technically qualified staff can now participate in verifying 18 categories of weighing and measuring instruments. These include critical measurement devices such as water meters, energy meters, gas meters, thermometers, and flow meters that play vital roles across multiple sectors.
The secretary clarified that this initiative marks a decisive shift toward a public-private partnership model within India's legal metrology system. Under this new framework, recognized private test centres will complement state facilities in verifying instruments used across trade, healthcare, transport, and energy sectors.
The ministry anticipates that this new structure will help reduce verification delays, improve service accessibility for businesses, and allow state officers to concentrate more effectively on enforcement and consumer protection activities.
Industry Experts Welcome Timely Reform
Industry experts have widely welcomed this move as a timely reform that aligns perfectly with the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision by fostering domestic testing capabilities and reducing reliance on limited state-run laboratories.
Vivek Singhal, co-founder and chief executive of BIDSO, a business-to-business toy manufacturer, described the launch as "a progressive step toward strengthening India's trade verification ecosystem and ensuring measurement accuracy across industries." He further noted that "the initiative not only enhances verification capacity but also brings speed, transparency, and technical consistency to certification processes. This move will build greater trust in Indian manufacturing and logistics, reduce transactional friction in sectors like e-commerce, and ultimately boost the country's competitiveness in both domestic and global markets."
Sundeep Nayak, former director general of the National Productivity Council, highlighted the broader implications of this reform. "With India emerging as a major manufacturing hub, verification of measuring instruments—from hospital devices to industrial meters—has become critical not only for consumer safety but also for export competitiveness," he stated.
Nayak emphasized that "the private sector's participation in legal metrology marks a structural reform in the way the country ensures accuracy and trust in trade. It's not just about verification—it's about strengthening the credibility of Indian standards globally."
Current Testing Infrastructure Landscape
According to data from the Quality Council of India (QCI), through its accreditation arm—the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)—India currently boasts 5,021 testing laboratories, 1,177 calibration laboratories, and 2,226 medical testing laboratories accredited under international standards.
While QCI does not provide an official breakdown between private and government-owned laboratories, officials estimate that approximately 85% to 90% of accredited labs in the country are privately operated. The remaining 10% to 15% belong to government institutions, including those under various ministries, public sector undertakings, and state agencies.
This new portal represents a significant opportunity to leverage India's extensive private laboratory infrastructure to enhance the nation's measurement verification capabilities, ultimately supporting the country's growing industrial and manufacturing sectors while ensuring consumer protection and measurement accuracy across all trade activities.
