IS 694 is the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specification that governs PVC-insulated cables without sheath for use on electricity supply, commonly known as house wires or building wires. It is one of the most important Indian Standards in the electrical sector because it defines the minimum quality requirements for the wiring that runs inside virtually every home, office, factory, and commercial building in India.
The standard specifies the materials used for the conductor and insulation, the physical dimensions and tolerances, the electrical performance requirements, and the test methods that determine compliance. A cable bearing the ISI mark and the IS 694 designation has been tested and found to meet all of these requirements by a BIS testing laboratory.
IS 694 applies to flexible single-core and multi-core cables rated up to 1100 V for single-phase applications and is typically available in conductor cross-sections from 1 sq mm to 16 sq mm for residential and light commercial use. It covers both copper and aluminium conductor variants, though copper remains by far the most widely used conductor material in India for house wiring.
Understanding what IS 694 actually specifies helps buyers make informed decisions and identify non-compliant products. The key technical requirements include:
Conductor material — Electrolytic grade copper (99.9% purity) or aluminium. Copper-clad aluminium (CCA) is NOT permitted as a substitute for solid copper conductors.
Conductor resistance — Maximum DC resistance per kilometre at 20°C is specified for each cross-section; lower resistance indicates higher conductor purity and correct cross-section area.
Insulation material — PVC compound meeting specific hardness, elongation, tensile strength, and temperature rating requirements.
Insulation thickness — Minimum nominal insulation thickness is specified for each core size (e.g., 0.6 mm for 1 sq mm, 0.8 mm for 2.5 sq mm, 1.0 mm for 4 sq mm).
Voltage rating — 660V / 1100V (the cable withstands 660V working voltage and 1100V for test purposes).
High voltage test — Every drum or reel must pass a high-voltage immersion test at 2000V AC for 5 minutes without breakdown.
Insulation resistance — Minimum insulation resistance values are prescribed per km at 70°C.
Colour coding — Standard colours: Red, Yellow, Blue for phases; Black for neutral; Green or Green-Yellow for earth.
These requirements are non-negotiable. A cable that fails any one of them is not IS 694 compliant, regardless of what the label on the reel claims.
Verifying compliance at the point of purchase does not require a laboratory. Buyers can perform practical checks that quickly distinguish genuine ISI-marked cables from uncertified or counterfeit products.
ISI mark — Look for the BIS ISI mark (a stylised 'ISI' logo) printed or embossed on the cable sheath at regular intervals along the length.
Standard marking — 'IS 694' must appear on the cable surface, along with the voltage designation (e.g., '1100/660V').
Manufacturer licence number — A CM/L number (Certification Mark / Licence number) must be printed on the reel and ideally on the cable itself. This number can be verified on the BIS website.
Reel/drum label — The outer reel label must state the manufacturer name, address, BIS licence number, IS number, batch number, and length.
Cross-section check — For 2.5 sq mm wire, the conductor diameter of the individual strands should be consistent. A caliper check or simple burn test to expose and count strands can help.
Insulation thickness — Peel a short section of insulation and measure its thickness with a vernier caliper. It should not be significantly thinner than the IS 694 specification.
Despite BIS certification being mandatory for cables sold under IS 694, non-compliant products remain widespread in India's fragmented electrical retail market. Understanding what to look out for can prevent costly and dangerous mistakes.
Copper-Clad Aluminium (CCA) wires are one of the most common forms of adulteration. These are aluminium conductors with a thin copper coating, sold at close to copper prices by unscrupulous traders. CCA has significantly higher electrical resistance than genuine copper, leading to heat buildup in wiring, voltage drops, and in severe cases, fire hazards. IS 694 does not permit CCA as a substitute for electrolytic copper conductors, but identifying CCA visually is difficult — the cut end of the conductor appears copper, but aluminium is visible when the wire is bent and the coating cracks.
Undersized conductors are another common problem. A wire sold as 2.5 sq mm may have an actual conductor cross-section of only 2.0 or 2.1 sq mm. This difference of 15–20% in conductor material translates directly into higher resistance, greater heat generation under load, and reduced current-carrying capacity — but is invisible without measurement.
CCA (Copper-Clad Aluminium) sold as genuine copper wire
Undersized conductors — actual cross-section below the labelled specification
Thin insulation — PVC insulation below the IS 694 minimum thickness
Fake ISI marks — printed ISI logos without valid BIS licence numbers
Unbranded / unpackaged wires sold in bulk without manufacturer identification
Recycled copper conductors with impurities, affecting conductivity and flexibility
The Bureau of Indian Standards has significantly stepped up enforcement of the IS 694 certification regime over the past two years. Under the BIS Act 2016 and subsequent Quality Control Orders (QCOs) issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, it is now mandatory for any manufacturer selling PVC-insulated cables to consumers in India to hold a valid BIS licence for the relevant standard.
BIS enforcement teams and state electrical inspectorates have conducted market surveillance raids across major cities, seizing non-compliant cable stocks and initiating legal proceedings against manufacturers and traders found selling uncertified or mislabelled products. The penalties under the BIS Act include fines and imprisonment, creating significant legal risk for traders dealing in non-compliant goods.
Third-party testing has also been mandated as part of the ongoing certification process. BIS-accredited laboratories periodically collect samples from the market and test them against IS specifications. Manufacturers whose market samples fail these tests face suspension or cancellation of their BIS licence. This market-surveillance mechanism is designed to ensure that certified manufacturers do not cut corners after initial certification.
The Bureau of Indian Standards provides two convenient ways for buyers, electricians, and contractors to verify the authenticity of a manufacturer's BIS licence before making a purchase.
The BIS Care mobile application (available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store) allows users to scan the ISI mark hologram on the product or enter the CM/L licence number manually. The app instantly displays whether the licence is valid, which product standard it covers, and the licensed manufacturer's details. This is the fastest and most practical verification tool for use at a hardware store or distributor's warehouse.
The BIS website (bis.gov.in) also hosts a searchable licence database. By entering the CM/L number printed on the cable reel, a buyer can confirm the licensee name, address, licence validity dates, and the specific IS standard covered. Any discrepancy between what the packaging states and what the BIS database shows is a red flag.
Download 'BIS Care' app from Google Play or Apple App Store
Scan the ISI hologram on the cable reel or enter the CM/L number
Verify on bis.gov.in — search by licence number or manufacturer name
Check that the IS standard (IS 694), product description, and manufacturer name match the reel label
Confirm the licence has not expired — licences must be renewed annually
Whether you are an electrical contractor wiring a residential apartment, a builder procuring cables for a housing project, or a homeowner overseeing renovation work, the principles for buying safe, compliant wire are straightforward.
Always buy ISI marked cables — do not accept assurances from a seller that an unmarked cable 'meets the standard'.
Verify the BIS licence number using the BIS Care app before placing a large order.
Check the reel label carefully — it must state the manufacturer name, CM/L number, IS number, voltage rating, conductor cross-section, and length.
Inspect the cable surface — IS 694 and the voltage designation should be printed at regular intervals along the cable length.
Do not buy wire purely based on price — a wire priced significantly below market rate almost always means compromised conductor weight, insulation quality, or both.
For high-load circuits (ACs, geysers, pumps), always use the correct cross-section per IS 694 current-carrying capacity tables, and never substitute a lighter gauge to save cost.
Store purchased wire reels in a covered, dry location until installation — UV exposure and moisture can degrade PVC insulation over time.
Elmeck Wires & Cables manufactures house wires and flexible cables under a valid BIS licence for IS 694, using electrolytic grade copper conductors and PVC insulation compound that meets the full technical requirements of the standard. Every production batch is subjected to in-house electrical and physical testing before despatch, and periodic third-party testing at BIS-accredited laboratories ensures ongoing compliance.
The ISI mark on an Elmeck cable is not simply a marketing label — it is backed by a documented, audited quality management process. Each Elmeck reel carries the CM/L licence number that can be verified instantly on the BIS Care app or the BIS website. For buyers who want certainty about what they are installing in walls and structures, that verifiable compliance is the fundamental assurance that Elmeck provides.
In an environment where BIS enforcement is intensifying and the legal and safety consequences of using non-compliant cables are increasingly significant, choosing a manufacturer with a genuine, long-standing BIS certification is not just good practice — it is essential risk management.
