Question : TESTING OF IMPORTED EQUIPMENTS

(a) the number of incidents of exploding of mobile phones reported in the country and the action taken by the Government thereon;

(b) whether the Government is set to make it mandatory for all telecom equipments and mobile phone manufacturing companies to comply with Bureau of Indian Standards norms for safety and security of such devices;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether at present the Government does not have the legal authority to locally test imported electronics and telecom equipments like mobile phones and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(e) whether Government proposes to set up laboratories for testing and certification of telecom and electronic items; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and the number of such laboratories set up so far, State-wise and proposed to be set up in the near future?

THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a)to (d) Madam, no specific incidences have been reported to the Department of Telecommunications, but some incidents of exploding of mobile phones appeared in the media. Department of Electronics and Information Technology vide its notification dated 07th November, 2014 has brought mobile phones under the ambit of Electronics & Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012. This order mandates all mobile phones to conform to the safety requirements as mentioned in the Indian Standard 13252 (Part 1): 2010 with effect from 07th May 2015. Department of Telecommunications has also prescribed Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limits for the Mobile phones.

(e) & (f) Facilities for testing and certification of telecom and electronic items including mobile phones against the Indian Standard 13252 (Part 1): 2010 are currently not available with Bureau of Indian Standards. However, a number of laboratories have been recognized by BIS under its Laboratory Recognition Scheme for this purpose which besides private labs includes Government labs like Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC), Electronics Regional Test Laboratory (ERTL) and Electronics Tests & Development Centre (ETDC). The list of laboratories recognized in respect of electronics & IT products covered under the Compulsory Registration Order is attached as Annexure. Further, one Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) laboratory has been set up in Telecom Engineering Centre, New Delhi for audit of self-declaration by manufacturers to comply with Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limits for their mobile phones.