Consumer Affairs Launches GATC Online Portal to Boost Verification Ecosystem

The online portal is a direct outcome of the Legal Metrology (GATC) Amendment Rules, 2025, notified on 23 October 2025, which permit private entities to seek authorization as GATCs.

In a landmark initiative to modernize and expand India’s weights and measures verification infrastructure, the Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has launched an online portal for recognition of Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs). This move, grounded in the amended Legal Metrology (GATC) Rules, 2013, opens the door for private industries, laboratories, and testing facilities to formally participate in India’s verification ecosystem.

The portal—accessible at https://doca.gov.in/gatc—will accept applications for GATC recognition until 30 November 2025. It represents a significant step towards enhancing transparency, accountability, and speed in the certification and verification processes across multiple industrial and consumer sectors.

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Empowering Private Participation in Legal Metrology

The online portal is a direct outcome of the Legal Metrology (GATC) Amendment Rules, 2025, notified on 23 October 2025, which permit private entities to seek authorization as GATCs. These rules aim to increase India’s verification capacity by inviting private stakeholders to conduct verifications for a broad array of measuring instruments used in trade, health, transportation, energy, and infrastructure.

This public–private partnership model is designed to ease the burden on State Legal Metrology Departments, allowing them to concentrate on their core responsibilities such as enforcement, inspection, and grievance redressal, while enhancing overall regulatory efficiency.

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Application Process and Eligibility

The new digital platform provides an end-to-end online system for application submission, fee payment, and status tracking. Applicants must submit the prescribed form addressed to the Joint Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, through the portal.

Eligible applicants include private laboratories and industries that possess:

• Proper testing and calibration equipment, traceable to national measurement standards

• Qualified technical staff with at least three years of experience in Legal Metrology

• Adequate infrastructure, including premises and documentation systems compliant with regulatory standards

Following submission, inspections will be conducted by officials from the Department of Consumer Affairs and respective State Legal Metrology offices to validate the applicant’s compliance and capabilities.

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Categories of Instruments Authorized for Verification

Recognized GATCs will be permitted to verify 18 types of weighing and measuring instruments, including:

1. Water meters (domestic, commercial, and industrial)

2. Sphygmomanometers (blood pressure monitors)

3. Clinical thermometers

4. Automatic rail weighbridges

5. Tape measures

6. Non-automatic weighing instruments (Class III up to 150 kg and Class IIII)

7. Load cells

8. Beam scales

9. Counter machines

10. Standard weights of all categories

11. Gas meters

12. Energy meters

13. Moisture meters

14. Vehicle speed meters

15. Breath analyzers

16. Multi-dimensional measuring instruments

17. Flow meters

These instruments span critical sectors such as healthcare, transportation, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure, where measurement accuracy is crucial for both consumer safety and fair trade.

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Standardized Fee Structure

Applicants must pay a fee of ₹2 lakh per category of instrument at the time of application, which is also applicable annually for renewal of recognition. This standardization streamlines the cost structure and ensures a level playing field.

Verification and re-verification services provided by GATCs will adhere to a newly introduced Fifth Schedule under the Legal Metrology Rules. This schedule prescribes uniform service fees for each category, such as:

• ₹250 for domestic water meters

• ₹1,000 for commercial water meters

• ₹2,500 for industrial water meters

• ₹100 per sphygmomanometer

• ₹50 per clinical thermometer

• ₹3,000 for weighing machines (up to 150 kg)

• ₹5,000 for flow meters (up to 100 mm)

For instruments not listed in the Fifth Schedule, the fees prescribed under the respective State Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules will apply.

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Boosting Self-Reliance and Global Competitiveness

This reform is aligned with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, aimed at enhancing domestic capabilities and reducing dependence on foreign certification services. By empowering private industries and expanding the national verification network, the government intends to create a self-reliant and robust infrastructure for Legal Metrology.

Furthermore, India’s alignment with OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) standards positions it as a global player in measurement systems. As an OIML Certification Authority, India is now authorized to issue internationally accepted certificates, providing Indian manufacturers with easier access to global markets without relying on external certification bodies.

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Impact on Industry, Trade, and Consumers

The new GATC system is expected to:

• Increase verification capacity across the country

• Reduce delays in verification services

• Improve access to certified instruments for small traders and rural businesses

• Ensure consumer protection through accurate and timely verification

• Bolster regulatory confidence through transparent procedures

It also reduces the bottleneck faced by State Departments, enabling them to better handle inspection, enforcement, and grievance redressal.

 

The launch of the GATC portal signals a transformative shift in India’s Legal Metrology landscape. By digitizing the recognition process, expanding private sector participation, and aligning with global standards, the initiative creates a resilient, accessible, and efficient verification ecosystem.

Stakeholders across industries are encouraged to apply and contribute to building a transparent, fair, and self-reliant trade infrastructure that empowers businesses and protects consumers alike.