New Delhi: The Department of Consumer Affairs has invited online applications from eligible institutions for recognition as Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs) under the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, as part of efforts to strengthen India’s verification ecosystem for weights and measures.
Applications can be submitted through the official portal from August 17 to August 31, 2026. The department said the online platform offers a fully digital application process, including submission of applications, fee payment, tracking of application status and communication with applicants, making the process more transparent and efficient.
The move is aimed at expanding the country’s verification capacity by increasing participation from technically competent private institutions. According to the department, a larger network of GATCs will improve access to verification services, facilitate faster compliance for industries and ensure accurate measurements for consumers.
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Government Approved Test Centres are authorised to undertake verification and re-verification of specified weighing and measuring instruments used in trade and commerce.
According to an official release, the expanding the network would help reduce turnaround times and improve the delivery of Legal Metrology services across the country.
Following recent amendments to the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, recognised GATCs can now verify 23 categories of weighing and measuring instruments used across sectors including healthcare, energy, transport, retail, manufacturing and infrastructure. These include water meters, gas meters, energy meters, clinical thermometers, blood pressure monitors, weighing instruments, petrol and diesel dispensers, CNG, LPG, LNG and hydrogen dispensers, flow meters, speed meters and breath analysers, among others.
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The department said eligible applicants include industries, manufacturers, laboratories, engineering colleges, polytechnics, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and testing facilities that possess the prescribed testing and calibration equipment traceable to national standards, qualified technical personnel with Legal Metrology expertise and the necessary infrastructure required under the rules.
So far, 51 Government Approved Test Centres have been recognised across the country. The expanded network is expected to complement the work of State Legal Metrology Departments by increasing verification capacity and enabling quicker verification and re-verification of instruments. This, in turn, would allow state authorities to focus more on market surveillance, enforcement activities and consumer grievance redressal.
The government said the initiative aligns with its broader objectives of Ease of Doing Business, digital governance, consumer protection and strengthening India’s quality infrastructure in line with globally accepted measurement standards.
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