The Indian government is all set to implement mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts from 1 June 2021, according to a media report.
In November 2019, the government of India had announced that hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts would be made mandatory across the country from 15 January 2021. But the deadline was extended for four months after the jewellers sought more time in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gold hallmarking is a purity certification of the precious metal and is voluntary in nature at present. The government says the aim for mandatory hallmarking of gold and silver ornaments is to protect the consumer against victimization due to irregular gold or silver quality.
From 1 June 2021, jewellers will be allowed to sell only 14, 18 and 22 carats of gold jewellery. So far, 34,647 jewellers have registered with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The Bureau of Indian Standards is already fully energised and involved in giving approvals to jewellers for hallmarking.
The registration process has been made online and automatic. The BIS is already running a hallmarking scheme for gold jewellery since April 2000. Around 40 per cent of gold jewellery is being hallmarked currently.
According to the BIS, the mandatory hallmarking will protect the public against lower caratage and ensure consumers do not get cheated while buying gold ornaments and get the purity as marked on the ornaments. India imports 700-800 tonne of gold annually.
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
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