Mandatory Hallmarking Of Gold Jewellery And Artefacts:
The Centre further extended the deadline for mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts by a fortnight till June 15 in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- In November 2019, the government had announced that hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts would be made mandatory across the country from January 15, 2021.
- However, the deadline was extended for four months till June 1 after jewellers sought more time in view of the pandemic.
- Gold hallmarking is a purity certification of the precious metal and is voluntary in nature at present.
- The hallmarking of jewellery/artefacts is required to enhance the credibility of gold jewellery and customer satisfaction through third party assurance for the marked purity/fineness of gold.
- According to BIS, 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.
- A committee, headed by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Director-General Pramod Tewari, has been formed to ensure proper coordination and resolve the implementation issues.
- From June 15, jewellers will be allowed to sell only 14, 18 and 22 carats of gold jewellery.
- The BIS has been running a hallmarking scheme for gold jewellery since April 2000. Around 40 per cent of gold jewellery is being hallmarked currently.
