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Govt Launches Portal for Private Labs to Become Accredited Testing Centres for Weights and Measures
The government has launched an online portal allowing private laboratories to register as Accredited Testing Centres (GATCs) for weights and measures, marking a major step toward public-private partnership in legal metrology. The initiative, following amendments to the Legal Metrology Testing Centres Rules, 2013, enables private labs to test 18 types of instruments, including water meters, thermometers, and weighing machines. Applicants must meet national standards, have qualified staff, and pay ₹2 lakh per equipment category annually. The new Fifth Schedule introduces uniform verification fees across India. Applications can be submitted at doca.gov.in/gatc by November 30, 2025.
The government launched a new online portal to allow private laboratories to become Accredited Testing Centres, GATCs, for weights and measures in what has been claimed as a major shift to public-private partnership, PPP, in India's legal metrology system.
The Department of Consumer Affairs said industries, laboratories, and testing facilities can now apply by visiting https://doca.gov.in/gatc/. It said the last date to submit applications is November 30, 2025. The move comes after the amendment to the Legal Metrology Testing Centres Rules, 2013. The amendments were notified on October 23 this year. For the first time, the private sector was allowed to test and verify weights and measuring instruments that are used in trade and commerce.
Accredited GATCs will be permitted to test 18 types of instruments. These include water meters, blood pressure monitors, clinical thermometers, automatic railway weighing bridges, tape measures, scales, and calculating machines. Institutions wishing to apply must have adequate testing and standardization facilities that comply with national standards. They must also have technical staff with at least three years of experience. The department and state legal metrology officers will inspect the site before granting approval.
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Applicants will have to pay a fee of ₹2 lakh for each category of equipment or device. This fee will also apply for annual renewal. The newly created 'Fifth Schedule' sets uniform verification fees across the country: ₹250 for domestic water meters, ₹1,000 for commercial water meters, ₹2,500 for industrial water meters, ₹100 for blood pressure monitors, ₹50 for clinical thermometers, and ₹3,000 for non-automatic weighing machines up to 150 kg. For devices not listed, the state's legal measurement rules will apply.
