The Ministry of Steel has issued the Steel and steel product (Quality Control) Order, 2024, under which various steel products and grades have been brought under mandatory BIS certification. Accordingly, any person importing steel products falling within the scope of the said QCO is required to ensure that the concerned steel grade is duly BIS certified. In case any imported steel product is covered under the notified Quality Control Order, such product cannot be imported into India without obtaining the applicable BIS licence.

Earlier Ministry of steel were issuing the NOC for the steel grade and product that do not falling under the Quality control order. That NOC was required to be produce by the Importer for the steel product and grade that was not falling under the Scope of QCO.

However, in November 2025, the Ministry of Steel issued revised guidelines whereby the earlier requirement of obtaining an NOC for import of certain steel products and specified grades was discontinued and a new exemption mechanism was introduced. Under this scheme, where a particular steel product or grade falls within the scope of the applicable Quality Control Order (QCO), companies may apply to the Ministry for a one-time exemption for import of the concerned steel product or grade. Further, in cases where a particular steel grade or product does not fall under the QCO, companies may request inclusion of such grade or product under the “Non-QCO” category.

In this blog, we will understand the procedure for applying for a one-time exemption from the Ministry of Steel for the import of steel products or grades that are within the scope of the applicable Quality Control Order (QCO).

The following steps are required to be followed:

Step 1:Create/Login to the SIMS Portal and select the “QCO exemption portal” for filing the one-time exemption application.

Step 2:Fill in the product details such as:

1. ITC (HS) Code
2. IS Standard
3. Grade Name
4. Manufacturer Grade Name
5. Country of Origin
6. Manufacturer Name
7. Intended Quantity to be Imported
8. Product Category
9. End Use and End User Details

Step 3:Upload the required supporting documents including:

1. Detailed technical justification for import
2. Sample Mill Test Certificate (MTC)
3. Product photographs/images
4. BIS licence details or BIS justification, wherever applicable

Step 4:Submit complete details regarding the applicability/non-applicability of the concerned steel grade under the Quality Control Order (QCO) along with supporting technical documents.

How can we help you?

BR & Associates provides end-to-end assistance for Ministry of Steel exemption applications, including technical justification preparation, documentation, portal filing, query handling, and authority coordination.