I import or sell gadgets/electronics, what's this BIS CRS mark I keep hearing about?
The short answer
The BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme covers roughly 74 categories of electronic and IT products (power banks, chargers, certain audio devices, etc.), if your product falls on that list, you legally cannot manufacture, import, sell or distribute it in India without BIS registering it first and letting you carry the CRS mark. You get there by testing at a BIS-recognised lab, then filing Form I plus test reports and brand authorisation on the CRS portal; registration typically runs for around two years and needs renewal. Check the product list before you place a manufacturing or import order, retrofitting compliance after stock has landed is expensive and slow.
A quick summary to orient you. The real value is below: the resources worth your time, from people who've actually done it, not us.
Here are the resources
Hand-picked from around the web, each with a note on why it earns your time. India-specific ones carry a badge.
Why we picked it
A founder-readable breakdown of the CRS process, lab testing, Form I, brand authorisation, without the dense regulatory language of the official BIS pages.
Why we picked it
The official CRS portal itself, the place to check if your specific electronic product SKU is on the mandatory list before you place a manufacturing or import order.
Why we picked it
BIS's own explanation of the Scheme II registration route, useful to cross-check against a consultant's summary since the exact product list and process details change.
