India has strengthened its national quality and measurement infrastructure with the inauguration of two apex-level calibration facilities at CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL). These facilities are designed to support indigenous measurement, certification, and quality assurance, reducing dependence on foreign calibration systems and reinforcing India’s manufacturing, renewable energy, and environmental governance ecosystem.
1. National Primary Standard Facility for Solar Cell Calibration (NPF-SCC)
The NPF-SCC is a world-class solar cell and photovoltaic (PV) calibration facility established at CSIR-NPL to evaluate the performance of reference solar cells and PV panels with extremely high accuracy.
Key Technical Features
- Technology used:
Laser-based Differential Spectral Responsivity Primary Reference Measurement System. - International collaboration:
Developed in collaboration with Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Germany. - Measurement capability:
Measures short-circuit current of reference solar cells with an uncertainty of ±0.35%, among the lowest globally.
Why it matters
- Establishes a complete domestic traceability chain for photovoltaic metrology.
- Eliminates dependence on overseas calibration laboratories.
- Shortens turnaround time for Indian solar manufacturers.
- Enables India-specific calibration certificates, factoring in:
- Indian climatic conditions
- Humidity
- Dust exposure
- Supports:
- Rooftop solar programmes
- Domestic solar manufacturing
- Export-oriented production under PLI-linked schemes
2. National Environmental Standard Laboratory (NESL)
The NESL is a national-level facility for testing and recalibrating air pollution monitoring and environmental sensing instruments under Indian environmental conditions.
Why NESL was needed
- Earlier, most environmental monitoring instruments relied on:
- European or US certifications
- Weather profiles not suited to India’s diverse climate
- This affected long-term accuracy and reliability of environmental data in Indian conditions.
Key Functions
- Domestic validation of:
- Air quality monitoring instruments
- Environmental sensors
- Provides:
- Reference gases
- Standardised testing protocols
- Uncertainty evaluation services
- Strengthens credibility of data used in:
- National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)
- Industrial emission audits
- Smart city environmental monitoring networks
Impact
- Improves transparency and public trust in environmental data.
- Enhances reliability of pollution monitoring for policy and regulation.
Overall Significance of the Two Facilities
- Benefits MSMEs, start-ups, and indigenous manufacturers by:
- Lowering cost of quality validation
- Helping meet stringent regulatory standards
- Addressing trade and certification barriers
- Reflects strong inter-ministerial collaboration:
- Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) – support for NPF-SCC
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) – support for NESL
- Reinforces India’s push for:
- Atmanirbhar Bharat
- Quality-driven manufacturing
- Global competitiveness
CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL)
- Location: New Delhi
- Status: India’s National Metrology Institute
- Role:
- Custodian of national measurement standards
- Maintains SI units in India
- Calibrates national standards of weights and measures
- Eight decades of service:
- Supports research labs, industries, municipal agencies, and strategic sectors
- Direct impact on:
- Industrial quality
- Fair trade
- Environmental reliability
- Consumer and public safety
Key Functions of CSIR-NPL
- Maintenance of SI units (metre, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, mole, candela)
- Calibration and testing services for industry
- Research in:
- Metrology
- Advanced materials
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical metrology
- Dissemination of Indian Standard Time (IST) via satellite, radio, and TV
- Ongoing work in:
- Quantum standards
- Advanced materials
- Biomedical measurements