Vinod Bhat
New Delhi: The Department of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, has invited online applications from eligible industries, laboratories, engineering colleges, polytechnics, ITIs and testing facilities for recognition as Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs) under the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013.
Applications can be submitted online through the Department’s official portal emaap.gov.in/gatc from 17 August 2026 to 31 August 2026. The portal provides a fully digital application process, including online submission, fee payment, application tracking and communication with applicants, making the process transparent, efficient and business-friendly.
The initiative is aimed at expanding India’s verification ecosystem for weights and measures by increasing the participation of technically competent private institutions. A larger network of GATCs will strengthen the country’s verification capacity, improve access to verification services and enable faster compliance for industries, while ensuring accurate measurements for consumers.
Government Approved Test Centres are authorised to carry out the verification and re-verification of specified weighing and measuring instruments used in trade and commerce. Expanding the network of these centres will help make verification services more accessible, reduce turnaround time and improve the delivery of Legal Metrology services across the country.
Following recent amendments to the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, recognised GATCs are now authorised to verify 23 categories of weighing and measuring instruments used across sectors such as healthcare, energy, transport, retail, manufacturing and infrastructure.
The authorised categories include:
- Water meters
- Sphygmomanometers (blood pressure monitors)
- Clinical thermometers
- Automatic rail weighbridges
- Tape measures
- Non-automatic weighing instruments of Accuracy Class III (up to 150 kg)
- Non-automatic weighing instruments of Accuracy Class IIII
- Load cells
- Beam scales
- Counter machines
- Weights of all categories
- Gas meters
- Energy meters
- Moisture meters
- Speed meters for vehicles
- Breath analysers
- Multi-dimensional measuring instruments
- Flow meters
- Petrol and diesel dispensers
- CNG dispensers
- LPG dispensers
- LNG dispensers
- Hydrogen dispensers
Eligible applicants include industries, manufacturers, laboratories, engineering colleges, polytechnics, ITIs and testing facilities that possess:
- Prescribed testing and calibration equipment traceable to national standards;
- Qualified technical personnel with experience in Legal Metrology; and
- The infrastructure required under the GATC Rules.
The expanded network of GATCs will complement the work of State Legal Metrology Departments by increasing verification capacity across the country. This will enable faster verification and re-verification of weighing and measuring instruments, while allowing State Legal Metrology Officers to focus more on market surveillance, enforcement activities and consumer grievance redressal.
The initiative reflects the Government’s continued commitment to Ease of Doing Business, Digital Governance, Atmanirbhar Bharat and consumer protection by creating a modern, technology-driven and transparent Legal Metrology ecosystem.
As India continues to strengthen its position as an OIML Certification Authority, the expanded GATC framework is also expected to enhance the country’s quality infrastructure, promote internationally accepted measurement practices and support Indian industry in meeting global standards. Interested organisations may visit emaap.gov.in/gatc for detailed eligibility conditions and to submit their applications.
