Union Minister Pralhad Joshi inaugurates new National Test House ( NTH) building in Bengaluru on 115th Foundation Day

Key facts

• The National Test House ( NTH) was established in 1912 at Alipore, Kolkata, and has evolved into a multi-location national testing and quality assurance institution.
• Union Minister Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the new NTH building in Bengaluru during its 115th Foundation Day celebrations.
• New testing facilities inaugurated virtually across the NTH network included a Coal Testing Facility at Kolkata, a Solar Water Heater Testing Facility at Chennai, and an Utensils Testing Facility at Jaipur.
• The NTH Suvidha mobile application and the NTH Laboratory at Deendayal Hastkala Sankul ( Trade Centre, Varanasi) were also inaugurated.
• India has become the 13th official member country of the International Organization of Legal Metrology, giving full global recognition to domestically tested measuring instruments, including equipment used at petrol retail outlets.
• The government has prioritised the 'Zero Defect, Zero Effect' principle in manufacturing, and a new testing agency is being developed to verify product quality and environmental carbon emissions during manufacturing.
• Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said EV components entering the Indian market over the next 1 to 15 years must be fully manufactured domestically to compete globally.
• NTH revenue has increased from ₹10–20 crore to over ₹50 crore, and it now tests samples for countries including Sri Lanka, Dubai, Bahrain, and Bhutan.
• NTH has implemented drone testing and certification systems for agriculture, surveying, and disaster management sectors.
• The expansion of EV battery testing and chemical testing capabilities was described as crucial for clean transport and public health.
• India's first MSME 'Air Technology Centre' has been established in Bengaluru at a cost of approximately ₹200 crore to meet testing requirements of India's aerospace and defence sectors.
• Three dedicated testing domains have been set up in Bengaluru, Karnataka,for testing aerospace componentsand materials, reducing reliance on foreign countries for chemical and rigorous testing.
• MoUs were signed with various prestigious institutions for technical knowledge sharingand skill development.