Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2024

In January 2025, to ensure uniform timekeeping nationwide, the government has proposed the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2024, mandating IST as the sole time reference for official and commercial purposes.

Key Points

Mandatory Use of IST: All sectors, including commerce, transport, legal, and public administration, must adopt IST as the exclusive time standard.
Infrastructure Focus: Enhanced time precision will support critical sectors like telecommunications, banking, defense, and technologies such as AI and 5G.
Provisions and Penalties: The use of non-IST time references is prohibited, except for specialized fields like astronomy and navigation, with penalties for violations.
Robust Time System: Collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory and ISRO to ensure reliable IST dissemination across sectors.
Public Consultation: Stakeholders can provide feedback on the draft rules until February 14, 2025.