Feedback

Creating an Effective BIS Market Surveillance Plan for Registered Jewellers

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mandates regular market surveillance to ensure compliance with hallmarking regulations for registered jewellers. An effective surveillance plan is crucial for achieving thorough and efficient compliance checks, ensuring that the surveillance team can cover multiple jeweller outlets and draw sufficient samples each day.

Structuring the Surveillance Plan

To ensure thorough and efficient coverage, the surveillance plan should be structured with clear goals:

Goals for Daily Sample Drawing:

• The surveillance plan should aim to draw at least four to five samples per day from different jeweller outlets.
• This goal ensures that a representative number of jewellery samples are tested for compliance with BIS standards.

Ensuring Thorough and Efficient Coverage:

• The plan should include detailed routes and schedules to cover multiple jeweller outlets within the territorial jurisdiction of the Branch Office (BO).
• The surveillance team should be equipped with the necessary tools and resources to carry out their tasks efficiently.

Unannounced Visits

Unannounced visits are a crucial aspect of effective market surveillance:

Importance of No Prior Intimation:

• No prior intimation shall be made to jewellers about the surveillance visit to ensure that the samples drawn are representative of the regular inventory.
• Surprise visits help prevent any potential preparation or manipulation by jewellers.

Benefits of Surprise Visits:

• Ensures the authenticity and integrity of the surveillance process.
• Helps identify genuine compliance and non-compliance issues.

Guidelines for Creating the Surveillance Plan

To create an effective surveillance plan, BOs should follow these guidelines:

Planning Daily Routes and Schedules:

• Map out the routes and schedules to cover multiple jeweller outlets each day.
• Ensure that the plan allows for drawing four to five samples per day.

Ensuring Team Readiness and Resource Allocation:

• Prepare the surveillance team with the necessary tools, documentation, and transportation.
• Allocate resources efficiently to support the team's daily activities.

Benefits of an Effective Surveillance Plan

An effective surveillance plan offers several benefits:

Enhancing Compliance and Transparency:

• Regular and thorough surveillance builds customer trust by ensuring the authenticity and quality of hallmarked jewellery.

Building Trust in Hallmarking Standards:

• Consistent surveillance helps maintain high industry standards and compliance with hallmarking regulations.

Common Questions and Answers

How many samples should be drawn per day during surveillance? The surveillance plan should aim to draw at least four to five samples per day from different jeweller outlets.

Why are unannounced visits important for market surveillance? Unannounced visits ensure that the samples drawn are representative of the regular inventory, preventing any potential preparation or manipulation by jewellers.

How can BOs ensure the effectiveness of their surveillance plan? BOs can ensure effectiveness by planning detailed routes and schedules, equipping the surveillance team with necessary tools, and allocating resources efficiently.