Gold Hallmarking Process Begins Today. Here's All You Need To Know

Mandatory hallmarking process of gold jewellery and artefacts began today, Ministry of Consumer Affairs said in a press release. The mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery has to be completed by January 15, 2021. Addressing the media, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ramvilas Paswan said, "the purpose of making hallmarking mandatory for Gold Jewelry and Artefacts is to ensure that consumers are not cheated while buying gold ornaments and get the purity as marked on the ornaments, they are better informed about the purity of gold which will now be in only 3 caratage that is 14, 18 and 22 and corruption is removed."

Explaining the reasons for the one-year implementation period, Mr Paswan said, "this will ensure that Jewelers registration process can be completed and jewelers/retailers get time for clearing their old/existing stock and also so that additional Assaying & Hallmarking (A&H) centres can be set up by private entrepreneurs at various locations where demand arises and priority shall be given to districts where such centres are not present."

Currently Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is running hallmarking scheme for gold jewellery since April 2000. As on December 31, 2019, there were 892 Assaying and Hallmarking centres spread in 234 district locations across the country, Ministry of Consumer Affairs said in a press release.

This will make it compulsory for all the jewellers selling gold jewellery and artefacts to register with BIS and sell only hallmarked gold jewellery and artefacts, the press release added.