Daily Current Affairs : 25-January-2024

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) plays a crucial role in establishing standards for various industries in India. The Director General of BIS has recently advocated for a new approach called SMART. This initiative aims to make Indian standards more accessible, especially for small businesses, which are vital for the country’s economy.

What is SMART?

The SMART approach stands for Standards Machine Applicable Readable and Transferable. It is an initiative developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The goal of SMART standards is to ensure that standards are:

  • Machine Interpretable: This means that computers and software can easily understand and process the standards.
  • Readable: The language used in standards should be simple and clear so that everyone can understand them.
  • Transferable: The standards should be easily shared and used across different sectors and regions.

Importance of Accessible Standards

Many sectors in India are dominated by small enterprises. In fact, these small businesses make up over 80% of the licenses granted by BIS. This means that making standards accessible is crucial for these businesses to thrive. Accessible standards can:

  • Help Small Enterprises: By understanding standards better, small businesses can improve their products and services.
  • Promote Innovation: When standards are clear, businesses can focus on innovation rather than struggling to comprehend complex regulations.
  • Enhance Safety and Quality: Easy-to-understand standards lead to better safety measures and higher quality products.

Important Points:

SMART Approach: Stands for Standards Machine Applicable Readable and Transferable.Key Initiatives: Developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).Goals of SMART Standards:

  • Machine Interpretable: Easily understood by computers and software.
  • Readable: Simple and clear language for better understanding.
  • Transferable: Easily shared across different sectors and regions.

Importance for Small Enterprises:

  • Comprise over 80% of BIS licenses.
  • Accessible standards help improve products and services.
  • Clear standards promote innovation and reduce confusion.
  • Enhance safety and quality of products.

Overall Benefit: The SMART initiative fosters a more vibrant and supportive economy for all stakeholders.

Why In News

The Director General of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) advocates for the implementation of the SMART (Standards Machine Applicable Readable and Transferable) approach to make Indian standards easily readable and understandable for all stakeholders, ultimately aiming to enhance compliance and foster innovation across various industries.

MCQs about Empowering Small Enterprises through SMART Standards

  1. What does the acronym SMART stand for in the context of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)?
    A. Standards Management and Resource Technology
    B. Standards Machine Applicable Readable and Transferable
    C. Standardized Measurements and Regulatory Techniques
    D. Standards for Market Adaptation and Readiness
    Correct Answer: B. Standards Machine Applicable Readable and Transferable
    Explanation: SMART is an initiative that focuses on making standards machine-readable, easily understandable, and transferable across sectors.
  2. Why is the SMART approach particularly important for small enterprises in India?
    A. They make up more than 80% of BIS licenses.
    B. They have a higher budget for compliance.
    C. They require complex standards to compete.
    D. They often employ more than 500 people.
    Correct Answer: A. They make up more than 80% of BIS licenses.
    Explanation: Small enterprises constitute a significant portion of the licenses granted by BIS, making accessible standards crucial for their success.
  3. What are the key goals of the SMART standards initiative?
    A. To simplify regulations for large corporations only.
    B. To ensure standards are machine interpretable, readable, and transferable.
    C. To eliminate all existing standards in India.
    D. To increase the cost of compliance for businesses.
    Correct Answer: B. To ensure standards are machine interpretable, readable, and transferable.
    Explanation: The SMART initiative aims to create standards that can be easily understood and utilized by both machines and people across different industries.
  4. How can accessible standards benefit the economy?
    A. They increase the complexity of regulations.
    B. They promote confusion among businesses.
    C. They enhance safety, quality, and innovation.
    D. They focus only on large enterprises.
    Correct Answer: C. They enhance safety, quality, and innovation.
    Explanation: Accessible standards lead to improved safety measures, higher product quality, and foster innovation, ultimately benefiting the economy as a whole.

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