Buying gold during festivals is a common tradition in India, but with rising prices the problem of adulterated gold is increasing. In such a situation, it is important for buyers to check the purity of gold so that fraud can be avoided. Hallmarking standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) play a major role in this context.
Under the hallmarking system of BIS, gold and silver jewelery is marked according to its purity, giving buyers confidence that their gold is pure. By 14 November 2024, 361 districts of India have come under the scope of hallmarking, where it is mandatory to have hallmark on the jewelery purchased.
BIS’s official mobile app “BIS Care” allows buyers to check the purity of gold sitting at home. Every Hallmark jewelery has a unique Hallmark ID (HUID), which can be entered into this app to confirm its authenticity. With such a facility buyers can avoid fake jewellery.
Additionally, consumers can get their jewelery checked by visiting BIS recognized Hallmarking Centers (AHC). Only Rs 45 per sample is charged for testing at these centres. If the purity of gold is found to be less than the marked value, then compensation is also given to the buyer.
In this process of checking, the buyer is assured the benefit of compensation as per the hallmark as well as the weight and purity of the jewellery, thereby maintaining both trust and security.
Thus, with the help of online BIS Care app and offline hallmarking centre, people get the opportunity to honestly check the purity of gold for just Rs 45, making the purchase of precious metal completely safe during festivals.