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Core Purpose

The Central Government makes the Legal Metrology (General) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2025, to further amend the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, by inserting a new Part XII, which specifies metrological and technical requirements for moisture meters for cereal grains and oilseeds.

Detailed Summary

This notification, G.S.R. 525(E), issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Consumer Affairs) on August 4, 2025, introduces the Legal Metrology (General) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2025. These rules, enacted under the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clauses (c), (f), (h), (i) and (s) of sub-section (2) of section 52 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 (1 of 2010), shall come into force on January 1, 2026. The amendment modifies the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, by inserting a new Part XII, titled "MOISTURE METERS FOR CEREAL GRAINS AND OILSEEDS," after Part XI in the Eighth Schedule. This new Part XII outlines metrological and technical requirements, test methods, and maximum permissible errors for the type approval of grain moisture meters utilized in commercial transactions of cereal grains and oilseeds. The specification applies to digitally indicating automatic grain moisture meters and instruments estimating moisture through indirect physical means, such as electrical or optical sensing, specifically for fixed representative-size grain samples, but excludes devices used for in-motion measurement. The notification also provides comprehensive terminologies related to metrology, including definitions for adjustment, accuracy, calibration, certified reference material, maximum permissible measurement error, type approval, and software validation.

Full Text

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-06082025-265219 EXTRAORDINARY PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY NEW DELHI, MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2025/SHRAVANA 13, 1947 No. 482] --- MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS) NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 4th August, 2025 G.S.R. 525(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) read with clauses (c), (f), (h), (i) and (s) of sub-section (2) of section 52 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 (1 of 2010), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, namely:— 1. (1) These rules may be called the Legal Metrology (General) Fourth Amendment Rules, 2025. (2) They shall come into force on the 1st day of January, 2026. 2. In the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules) in the Eighth Schedule, after PART XI, the following Part shall be inserted, namely:— "PART XII MOISTURE METERS FOR CEREAL GRAINS AND OILSEEDS Sub-part A Metrological and technical requirements 1. Scope.— (1) This Part specifies the metrological and technical requirements, test methods and maximum permissible errors for the type approval of grain moisture meters used in commercial transactions of cereal grains and oilseeds. (2) This specification applies to digitally indicating automatic grain moisture meters that directly display moisture content. (3) This specification applies to moisture measuring instruments that estimate moisture based on indirect physical means such as, electrical or optical sensing. Drying methods or any other direct moisture measurement technology are not specifically covered, but may qualify if they perform to the requirements of this specification. (4) This specification applies to grain moisture meters that measure the moisture content of a fixed representative-size grain sample. It does not apply to devices used for in-motion measurement of grain or seed moisture content. (5) This specification specifies instrument performance specifications and is not intended to preclude the application of new technologies to grain moisture measurement. 2. Terminologies.— (1) Adjustment: The set of operations carried out on a measuring system so that it provides indications corresponding to given values of a quantity to be measured. Note: A change in the value of any of a device's sealable calibration parameters or sealable configuration parameters. (2) Accuracy (measurement accuracy): The closeness of agreement between a measured quantity value and a true quantity value of the measured. Note 1: The concept of "measurement accuracy" is not a quantity and is not given a numerical quantity value. A measurement is said to be more accurate when it offers a smaller measurement error. Note 2: The term “measurement accuracy" shall not be used for measurement trueness and the term "measurement precision" shall not be used for "measurement accuracy", which, however, is related to both concepts. Note 3: "Measurement accuracy" is sometimes understood as closeness of agreement between measured quantity values that are being attributed to the measured. (3) Calibration: The operation that, in a first step, establishes a relation between the quantity values with measurement uncertainties provided by measurement standards and corresponding indications with associated measurement uncertainties and, in the second step, uses this information to establish a relation for obtaining a measurement result from an indication. Note 1: A calibration may be expressed by a statement, calibration function, calibration diagram, calibration curve, or calibration table. In some cases, it may consist of an additive or multiplicative correction of the indication with associated measurement uncertainty. Note 2: Calibration shall not be confused with adjustment of a measuring system, often mistakenly called "self-calibration", nor with verification of calibration. Note 3: Often, the first step alone in the above definition is perceived as being calibration. (4) Certified reference material: The reference material, accompanied by documentation accepted by Director (Legal Metrology) and providing one or more property values with associated uncertainties and traceability, using valid procedures. (5) Maximum permissible measurement error: The extreme value of measurement error with respect to a known reference quantity value, permitted by specifications for a given measurement, measuring instrument, or measuring system. Note 1: Usually the term "maximum permissible errors" or "limits of error" are used, where there are two extreme values. Note 2: The term "tolerance" shall not be used to designate “maximum permissible error". Note 3: The maximum permissible error in clause (ii) of sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 4 of this specification are errors associated with a meter in use in the market place. The errors for the test procedures are based on clause (i) of sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 4. (6) Measurement error: The measured quantity value minus a reference quantity value. Note 1: The concept of "measurement error" shall be used for both the following, namely:— (i) when there is a single reference quantity value to refer to, which occurs if a calibration is made by means of a measurement standard with a measured quantity value having a negligible measurement uncertainty or if a conventional quantity value is given, in which case the measurement error is known, and true quantity values of negligible range, in which case the measurement error is not known; and (ii) if a measured is supposed to be represented by a unique true quantity value or a set of true quality values of negligible range, in which case the measurement error is not known. Note 2: Measurement error shall not be confused with production error or mistake. (7) Measurement repeatability: The measurement precision under a set of repeatability conditions of measurement. (8) Measurement reproducibility: The measurement precision under reproducibility conditions of measurement. Note: In this specification, the reproducibility of measurements between units of the same type of instrument under reference conditions is assessed by the standard deviation of differences (SDD₁). The reproducibility of measurements from one instrument when select influence factors are varied is assessed by the magnitude of the error shift or fault. (9) Rated operating condition: The operating condition shall be fulfilled during measurement so that a measuring instrument or measuring system performs as designed. Note: Rated operating conditions generally specify intervals of values for a quantity being measured and for any influence quantity. (10) Reference condition: The operating condition prescribed for evaluating the performance of a measuring instrument or measuring system or for comparison of measurement results. Note: Reference conditions specify intervals of values of the measured and influence quantities. (11) Reference quantity value: The quantity value used as a basis for comparison with values of quantities of the same kind. (12) Repeatability condition of measurement: The condition of measurement, out of a set of conditions that includes the same measurement procedure, same operators, same measuring system, same operating conditions and same location, and replicate measurements on the same or similar objects over a short period of time. Note 1: A condition of measurement is a repeatability condition only with respect to a set of repeatability conditions. Note 2: In chemistry, the expression “intra-serial precision condition of measurement” is sometimes used to designate this concept. (13) Reproducibility condition of measurement: The condition of measurement, out of a set of conditions that includes different locations, operators, measuring systems and replicate measurements on the same or similar objects. Note 1: Different "measuring systems may use different measurement procedures. Note 2: A specification shall give the conditions changed and unchanged, to the extent practical. (14) Type approval: The decision of relevance, based on the review of the type evaluation report that the type of a measuring instrument complies with the requirements and results in the issuance of the type approval certificate. (15) Type (pattern) evaluation: The conformity assessment procedure on one or more specimens of an identified type (pattern) of measuring instruments which results in an evaluation report or an evaluation certificate or both. Note: "Pattern" is used in legal metrology with the same meaning as "type" and in the entries in this Part, only "type" is used. (16) Verification of a measuring instrument: The conformity assessment procedure (other than type evaluation) which results in the affixing of a verification mark or issuing of a verification certificate, or both. (17) Audit trail: The continuous data file containing a time stamped information record of events, such as changes in the values of parameters of a device or software updates, or other activities which may influence the metrological characteristics. (18) Cryptographic: The encryption of data by the sender (storing or transmitting program) and description by the receiver (reading program) with the purpose of hiding information from unauthorised persons and includes electronic signing of data with the purpose of enabling the receiver or user of the data to verify the origin of the data, that is to prove their authenticity. (19) Fault: The difference between the error of indication during or after exposure to a disturbance and the mean intrinsic error of a measuring instrument. Note 1: Principally, a fault is the result of an undesired change of data contained in or flowing through an electronic measuring instrument. Note 2: From the definition it follows that a “fault" is a numerical value which is expressed either in a unit of measurement or as a relative value. Note 3: If a certified measurement standard is not used, a fault is the difference between a single indication during or after a disturbance, and the mean indication at reference conditions prior to test. (20) Intrinsic error: The error of a measuring instrument, determined under reference conditions (21) Open network: The network of arbitrary participants (electronic devices with arbitrary functions). The number, identity and location of a participant can be dynamic and unknown to the other participants. This is in contrast to a closed network which is a network of a fixed number of participants with a known identity functionality and location. (22) Universal computer: The computer that is not constructed for a specific purpose but that can be adapted to the metrological task by software. In general this software is founded on an operating system that permits loading and execution of software for specific purposes. (23) Software validation: The confirmation by examination and provision of objective evidence (i.e. information that can be proved true, based on facts obtained from observations, measurement, test, etc.) that the particular requirements for the specific intended use are fulfilled. In the present case the related requirements are those of this specification. (24) Accuracy of a grain moisture calibration: The performance characteristic of a calibration assessed at reference conditions. Note: The assessment requires calculation of ỹ, the bias over a set of test samples or the "calibration bias", and the standard deviation of the difference (SDD) between the meter and the reference method for each of the 2% moisture intervals which is the standard deviation of measurement errors from the same sample set. Refer to, 1(2) of Sub-part B for the calculation of ӯ and standard deviation of the difference from measured values. The limiting values for ӯ and standard deviation of the difference in column 2 of the Table under clause (i) of sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 4 shall be observed in order to deem a calibration as sufficiently accurate. (25) Average error shift: The algebraic mean of error shift values calculated from samples of the same grain type with different moisture levels. The resulting “average” value is indicative of the average variation

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