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Automobile
India to Tighten PUC Norms with Digitally Signed Emission Results under AIS-137 Amendment
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 12 Nov 2026, 08:01 AM
👁 6
The October 2026 amendment to Automotive Industry Standard AIS-137 (Part 8) will introduce hardware‑based security features, paving the way for stricter PUC checks and digitally signed emission test results.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has moved to amend Automotive Industry Standard AIS-137 (Part 8) in October 2026, aiming to modernise the vehicle emission testing framework. The proposed changes focus on embedding hardware‑based security modules within emission testing equipment, a step that aligns India’s testing infrastructure with global best practices.
Under the revised standard, emission test results will be generated with cryptographic signatures, ensuring that each Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is tamper‑proof and verifiable. The digital signing mechanism is expected to reduce fraudulent certificates and streamline data sharing between testing centres and regulatory bodies.
Industry bodies have noted that the amendment will raise the bar for compliance, compelling service stations to upgrade their testing rigs to meet the new security specifications. The rollout is slated for early 2027, with a transition period for existing facilities to adopt the hardware upgrades.
Experts anticipate that the tighter PUC norms will contribute to cleaner air in urban centres, as more accurate and reliable emission data becomes available for enforcement actions.
Under the revised standard, emission test results will be generated with cryptographic signatures, ensuring that each Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is tamper‑proof and verifiable. The digital signing mechanism is expected to reduce fraudulent certificates and streamline data sharing between testing centres and regulatory bodies.
Industry bodies have noted that the amendment will raise the bar for compliance, compelling service stations to upgrade their testing rigs to meet the new security specifications. The rollout is slated for early 2027, with a transition period for existing facilities to adopt the hardware upgrades.
Experts anticipate that the tighter PUC norms will contribute to cleaner air in urban centres, as more accurate and reliable emission data becomes available for enforcement actions.