Hallmarking

Subject – Economy

Context – Jeweller’s plan protest against hallmarking.

Concept –

The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), which operates the gold and silver hallmarking scheme in India, defines hallmarking as the “accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles.”
So, it is a “guarantee of purity or fineness” of precious metal articles, which started in 2000.
In India, at present two precious metals namely gold and silver have been brought under the purview of Hallmarking.
The BIS certified jewellers can get their jewellery hallmarked from any of the BIS recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centres (A&HC).
Earlier, it was optional for the jewellers and thus only 40% of gold jewellery was getting hallmarked.
Recently, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution made it mandatory for the hallmarking of gold jewellery, which will be implemented in a phased manner.