India Regulatory News

The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has officially withdrawn six Quality Control Orders (QCOs) covering the following key industrial chemicals: p-xylene, toluene, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, vinyl acetate monomer, ethylene dichloride, and vinyl chloride monomer. The withdrawals were announced in notifications dated 28 November 2025, published in the Gazette of India, and take immediate effect.

The decision has been taken under the powers granted by Section 16 and Section 25(3) of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016, after due consultation with the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Details of Withdrawn Orders

The Central Government has rescinded the following Quality Control Orders issued earlier by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers:

1. S.O. 5527(E) – Withdrawal of p-Xylene (Quality Control) Order, 2021 
   Originally notified via S.O. 3929(E) dated 13 September 2021.
2. S.O. 5528(E) – Withdrawal of Toluene (Quality Control) Order, 2021 
   Originally notified via S.O. 5436(E) dated 24 December 2021.
3. S.O. 5529(E) – Withdrawal of Methyl Acrylate and Ethyl Acrylate (Quality Control) Order, 2021 
   Originally notified via S.O. 5406(E) dated 22 December 2021.
4. S.O. 5530(E) – Withdrawal of Vinyl Acetate Monomer (Quality Control) Order, 2021 
   Originally notified via S.O. 5405(E) dated 22 December 2021.
5. S.O. 5531(E) – Withdrawal of Ethylene Dichloride (Quality Control) Order, 2021 
   Originally notified via S.O. 3928(E) dated 13 September 2021.
6. S.O. 5532(E) – Withdrawal of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (Quality Control) Order, 2020 
   Originally notified via S.O. 3932(E) dated 13 September 2021.

All six Quality Control Orders now stand withdrawn with immediate effect.

The withdrawal of these Quality Control Orders reflects the government’s ongoing reassessment of mandatory BIS certification requirements for industrial chemicals. This aims to balance public safety with the need to promote smoother trade, reduce the regulatory burden and enhance the overall ease of doing business within India’s chemical and petrochemical sectors.