BIS Compliance News · 4 June 2026
BIS seeks industry feedback on draft revision of IS 694 (PVC insulated cables and cords)
The Bureau of Indian Standards held a Manak Manthan on 4 June 2026 at its Southern Regional Office in Chennai on the draft revision of IS 694, which covers PVC insulated unsheathed and sheathed cables and cords with rigid and flexible conductors for rated voltages up to and including 1,100 V.
IS 694 is one of the most widely used standards for building wires and flexible cords sold under the ISI mark. The session covered the scope and key provisions of the draft, including construction, performance and safety requirements. BIS officials asked manufacturers to study the proposed changes and send comments through the BIS standards portals (manakonline.in and standards.bis.gov.in) or by e-mail to the Chennai branch office within the prescribed timeline.
Once the revised standard is published, existing ISI licensees under IS 694 will normally have to move to the new version within the transition period BIS sets, which can mean new testing and updated product manuals.
Who is affected
Manufacturers and importers of PVC insulated wires, cables and flexible cords, testing laboratories, and buyers who specify IS 694.
What to do
- Download the draft from the BIS standards portal and compare it with your current product construction and test results.
- Send technical comments before the comment deadline shown on the draft.
- Once the revision is published, check the transition date and plan re-testing well before it.
BIS Compliance News summarises official notifications in plain language. It is general information, not legal or regulatory advice — always confirm the current text of the order or notice, linked above, before acting.