The government is planning to relax Quality Control Order (QCO) norms for footwear and electronics components manufacturing to boost domestic production and exports. According to industry sources, a high-level committee, constituted by the Cabinet Secretariat, has recommended that several QCOs be either fully revoked or deferred by one to two years. The committee has been set up to remove regulatory barriers and establish a ‘modern, flexible, and trust-based framework for non-financial sectors regulation’.
At present, there are 191 QCOs covering 773 products, ranging from furniture and footwear to door hinges, steel, textiles, petrochemical products, and engineering goods, with several more under consideration.
The government has already revoked QCOs on synthetic fibres, yarns, plastics and polymers, and base metals. It is also considering suspending the implementation of certain QCOs in steel product categories, except those covering construction materials, pressure vessels, and pipes. The government also plans to revoke the Steel Monitoring System and the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) requirement for the import of non-QCO steel grades.
"The QCO measures have been relaxed for the time being to ensure that the domestic manufacturers scale up. The relaxation will be there till the time the domestic industries upgrade themselves. We are also seeking consultations from other ministries and it will be an ongoing process," said an official from the commerce ministry.
The QCOs are government regulations mandating that certain products meet specific Indian Standards before they can be manufactured, sold, or imported. Their key objectives include preventing the import of substandard goods, ensuring consumer access to quality products, and enhancing the global competitiveness of Indian manufacturers.
The committee recommended that QCOs for footwear components— such as PVC and rubber—be completely withdrawn. For copper wires used in general engineering applications, the committee has recommended revoking the proposed QCO or deferring its implementation by two years. It has also suggested revoking QCOs for wrought aluminium and aluminium alloys, and pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes. Products proposed to be referred to the IMG (Inter-Ministerial Group) for further review include cross-recessed screws and various furniture and fittings, for which the committee has recommended deferring implementation by one year. The committee has also suggested postponing QCO implementation by one year for household, commercial, and similar electrical appliances.
In the past, many industry groups have raised concerns at multiple levels—including line ministries, the Commerce and Industry Ministry, the Department of Consumer Affairs, NITI Aayog, and even the Prime Minister’s Office—arguing that the proliferation of QCOs has become an irritant to ease of doing business.