The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) announced a successful year for its hallmarking initiatives, with increased registrations and a wider reach for consumers.
In its 2024 year-end review, the DCA highlighted significant progress in ensuring the purity and quality of gold jewellery and artifacts. Between 1st April and 25th November 2024, hallmarking registrations saw a 4% increase, rising from 1,87,936 to 1,95,155.
Concurrently, the number of Assaying and Hallmarking Centres (AHCs) recognised by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) expanded by 4%, growing from 1,540 to 1,604. A key development was the amendment to the Quality Control Order on 5th November 2024. This amendment expanded the scope of mandatory hallmarking from 343 districts to 361 districts, ensuring greater consumer protection in a wider geographical area.