Gold hallmarking charges have increased significantly from ₹45 to ₹75 per article, representing a 66.67% hike that has raised concerns within the industry. According to reports from The Times of India, the All-India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) has estimated that the additional financial burden on the ecosystem could be around ₹400 crore, apart from approximately ₹80 crore in GST. The council has questioned whether the higher fee has resulted in comparable improvement in consumer protection.
The increased costs have raised concerns about potential fraud as unscrupulous jewellers may resort to counterfeit hallmarking stamps, particularly in tier-2, 3 and 4 cities where consumer awareness remains low. As reported by The Times of India, Rajesh Rokde, chairman of the GJC, noted that awareness of the Bureau of Indian Standards' Care mobile application is adequate in only around 10% of the country's 800 districts. This leaves consumers vulnerable as fraudsters develop increasingly sophisticated methods, including photographs that could be copied or manipulated by fraudsters. Industry experts warn that hallmark tampering and HUID misuse compromise consumer faith, eroding the industry's most valuable asset: trust.
Despite the fee increase, hallmarking activity has shown significant growth. According to government data cited by the GJC, the number of recognised assaying and hallmarking centres (AHCs) rose to 1,577 in July 2026 from 1,220 in July 2022. During the same period, the cumulative number of gold articles hallmarked with HUID crossed 650 million. A total of 132.2 million jewellery articles were hallmarked in 2025-26, demonstrating the expanding reach of the system.
The revised rates have resulted in operational difficulties for jewellers. As reported by The Times of India, the turnaround time for hallmarking has lengthened considerably, rising from around six hours earlier to 24-36 hours. This is resulting in jewellers' working capital being tied up for longer periods and adding to their financing costs. The hallmarking fee for silver articles remains unchanged at ₹35.
The GJC has taken up the matter with consumer affairs minister Pralhad Joshi and the BIS, asking that the earlier rate of ₹45 per article be restored. The council has also asked the BIS to provide a detailed assessment of the costs underlying the revised charge, including expenditure on additional equipment, manpower, processing and storage. Industry leaders are calling for enhanced verification measures, including digital verification through the BIS Care App at the point of sale, tamper-proof laser etching and strict digital chain-of-custody tracking by AHCs. The GJC has offered to help establish 100 AHCs across India and facilitate hallmarking at the earlier rate.
