Smartphone screen guard rules are set to change in India as the government brings screen protectors such as tempered glass and screen guards under Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) requirements.
The move is aimed at improving product quality and consumer safety.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has added smartphone screen protectors to the Electronics and Information Technology Goods Order, 2021.
The change is expected to reduce the availability of substandard screen guards and support manufacturers that meet the required standards.
Smartphone Screen Guard Rules Start From April 2027
The government issued the notification on September 21, adding screen protectors as the 66th product under the order.
Other electronic products covered by BIS requirements include smartphones, laptops, chargers, LED televisions and printers.
The new requirements will become mandatory from April 1, 2027. The timeline gives manufacturers and importers time to adjust their products and production processes according to the prescribed standards.
Until the rules become mandatory, consumers can continue buying screen guards as they do currently. After implementation, products covered by the requirements will need to meet the applicable quality standards.
New Quality Standards for Screen Protectors
Manufacturers will have to ensure that screen protectors can withstand shock and impact when a smartphone is dropped. The glass will also need to hold together when broken instead of producing pieces that could cause injuries.
The new requirements will also cover features such as fingerprint-resistant coatings, anti-glare finishes and blue-light filtering. Product packaging will need to clearly mention important details.
These details include the brand name, batch number, manufacturing date, glass thickness and the applicable BIS mark. This will give buyers more information when selecting a screen protector.
Rules Aim to Reduce Substandard Screen Guards
The move is also expected to affect low-quality products sold in the market. With quality requirements becoming mandatory, manufacturers and importers will have to ensure that their products meet the prescribed standards.
Industry body ICEA Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said BIS certification would help curb substandard foreign and local products while providing equal opportunities to domestic manufacturers and global companies.
The new framework is therefore focused on bringing greater consistency to the quality of smartphone screen protectors available to consumers in India.
