How Standards Are Developed
The standards work of SARSO are carried out through Sectoral Technical Committees (STCs), composed of representatives of the Member bodies, each dealing with a particular subject. The primary duty of a Sectoral Technical Committee is the development and systematic maintenance of the SAARC Standards. The STCs are established by the Governing Board on the recommendations of the Technical Management Board. The Chairperson of the STC is nominated by the National Member Body and takes the lead in the work of the STC and is appointed for a period of three years.
The following Six Sectoral Technical Committees (STCs) have been established to formulate SAARC Standards:
The Standards Development Process
Proposal Stage:
A new work item is proposed by a member country or stakeholder and approved by the relevant Technical Committee.
Preparatory Stage:
A working group is formed to prepare a working draft of the standard.
Committee Stage:
The draft is circulated for comments and voting by Technical Committee members.
Enquiry Stage:
The draft is circulated to all SARSO member bodies for a three-month vote and comment period.
Approval Stage:
The final draft is circulated for a two-month vote by SARSO member bodies.
Publication Stage:
The approved standard is published by the SARSO Central Secretariat.
The process of development of SAARC Standards starts with preparation of comparative chart of National Standards of Member States on approved item. This comparative chart then circulated by the SARSO Secretariat among the Member States for their comments. These comments are then discussed by the Member States in the concern STC meeting and agreed to prepare a draft SAARC Standards. The draft SAARC Standard (DSS) then circulated by the SARSO Secretariat among the Member States for submission of comments. Theses comments are then discussed by the Member States in the concern STC meeting and agreed to prepare a final draft SAARC Standard (FDSS). This FDSS then circulated by the SARSO Secretariat among the Member States for comments. The concern STC then discusses on comments if received from the Member States and finalize the FDSS. The concern STC then forwarded the FDSS to the Technical Management Board (TMB) of SARSO for consideration. The TMB after consideration on the FDSS recommend to the Governing Board (GB) of SARSO for approval. The SARSO Secretariat after approval of the GB publishes as SAARC Standard.
Key Principles in Standards Development
Standards are developed through a consensus-based approach, ensuring all views are taken into account.
The development process is open and transparent, with information available to all stakeholders.
Standards are developed to meet the needs of industry, regulators, and consumers in the South Asian region.
SARSO works to ensure coherence with international standards where appropriate.
Stakeholder Involvement
SARSO encourages participation from a wide range of stakeholders in the standards development process, including:
- Industry representatives
- Government bodies
- Consumer organizations
- Academic and research institutions
- Testing and certification bodies
- Non-governmental organizations
Get Involved
There are several ways you can contribute to the development of SARSO standards:
Participate directly in the standards development process by joining a Technical Committee in your area of expertise.
Provide feedback on draft standards during the public consultation period to help shape the final document.
Suggest new areas where standardization could bring significant benefits to the South Asian region