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Bharat
Stage The Shift From BS-4 to BS-6
Emission Norms!
Standards
Bharat Stage Emission Standards or BS norms are emission standards established by the central
government to limit the emission of air pollutants from motor vehicles which include bikes, cars, trucks
etc. Bharat Stage Emission Standards are implemented by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
After the Supreme court ruling, the sale and registration of BS-IV (Bharat Standard IV) compliant motor
vehicles are banned in India and the BS-VI (Bharat Standard VI) emission norms will be implemented
from the year 2020. Bharat stage emission norms in India are based on European emission standards.
The topic of Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BSES) is very important for the UPSC exam under the
environment and ecology syllabus. This article on Bharat Stage Emission Standards UPSC will help you
to prepare for the Prelims and the Mains stage of the UPSC IAS Exam.
In this article on Testbook, we will discuss in a detailed way about the Background, current emission
standards in India, Bharat Stage 6 Norms & list of all norms, Significance and challenges associated with
implementing Bharat Stage Emission Standards.

Check out other Important notes on the Environment for UPSC CSE exams!

Emission Standards in India: Background

 For the first time, vehicle emission norms were introduced in India in 1991 for petrol engine
vehicles and in 1992 for diesel engine vehicles.

 In 1999, the supreme court of India ruled that all automobiles must comply with the India 2000
standards by as early as June 2000. So, since 2000, Euro norms of emission are followed in India
under the name Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BSES).

 In 2002, an Expert Committee headed by Dr. R.A.Mashelkar proposed a roadmap for the
implementation of emission regulations in India based on Euro norms. The National Auto Fuel
Policy was published by the government in 2003 based on this committee's recommendations.
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 In 2014, The Saumitra Chaudhary Committee advocated the introduction of BS-IV (2017), BS-
V (2019), and BS-VI (2024) standards in its Auto Fuel Vision Policy 2025 proposals.

 In 2016, the Government of India (GoI) announced that by 2020, BS-VI standards would replace
BS-IV standards completely by skipping BS-V standards.

What are Bharat Stage Emission Standards?

Bharat Stage Emission Standards are formulated by the government to regulate and control the output
of air pollutants from internal combustion engine equipment, including motor vehicles. The Bharat stage
norms are based on European emission standards followed in Europe. Currently, Bharat stage 6 is being
implemented in the whole country.

What are the Current Emission Standards in India?

 The current emission standard in India from April 1, 2020, for all the new vehicles
manufactured, sold, and registered in India should necessarily be compliant with the BS-VI norms
emission standards.

 The volume of particulate matter (PM 2.5) emission is between 20 to 40 micrograms per cubic
meter in BS-VI engines.

 The emission of sulfur content in the BS-VI-compliant engines was brought down five times
from 50 ppm to 10 ppm.

 The emission of nitrogen oxide would be decreased by 70% in diesel engines and 25% in
petrol engines.

 The emission due to certain hydrocarbons that are produced due to the incomplete combustion
of fuel would be reduced.

 Three new types of equipment will be fixed in the vehicles by the car manufacturer to reduce
emission:
a. Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)
b. Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system
c. Lean NOx trap (LNT)

 To measure a vehicle’s emission under real conditions, Real Driving Emission (RDE) will be
introduced in India for the first time.

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 The use of Onboard Diagnostics (OD) has been made compulsory for all automobiles.

European Emission Standards

 The European Emission Standards are the emission norms for new land surface
vehicles marketed in the EU(European Union), EEA(European Economic Area) member
states, the UK, and ships operating in EU seas.

 Euro standards were introduced in 1992.

 Euro standards regulate emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), total hydrocarbon (THC),
non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter
(PM).

List of Bharat Stage Norms

The complete chronological timeline of implementation of Bharat Stage Emission Standards in India is
explained in the following table given below:

Timeline of Bharat Stage Emission Standards

Standard/norm Reference Year of Remarks

Implementation
India 2000 Euro - 1 2000 India adopts the new norms in line with Euro
standards.

BS-II Euro - 2 2001-2005 BS-II was first adopted in three metro cities.
Later came into effect in the whole country.

BS-III Euro - 3 2005-2010 BS-III was first adopted in 13 metro cities. Later
came into effect in the whole country.

BS-IV Euro - 4 2010-2017 To reduce Sulfur content in the pollutant was the
primary focus.

BS-V Euro - 5 skipped The government decided to skip BS-V to fix the
issue of increasing vehicle emissions as early
as possible with strict norms.

BS-VI Euro - 6 2017- presently BS-VI was first adopted in NCR in 2018. In
2020, BSVI came into effect in the whole
country.

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https://blogmedia.testbook.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/control-emmission-1cc42cfc.jpg

Chronology of events to control emissions in India

Source: The Hindu

Bharat Stage 6 Norms

The norms for the migration to Bharat stage 6 are discussed in detail in the following points:

 From April 1, 2020, the country will have to switch to the cleaner BS VI norms.

 Since April 2017, BS-IV norms have been enforced across the country. In 2016, the Center
declared that the country would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020
completely.

 The cost of manufacturing BS-VI grade fuels will be higher compared to previous fuels.

 Under Bharat Stage 6 Norms, diesel hydro-treating facilities are being built or having their
capacity increased in order to guarantee the reduction of sulfur concentration to prescribed
limits.

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 The majority of two-wheelers had carbureted engines, which blend the right amount of air and
fuel for internal combustion. Now after BS-VI norms, they must switch to fuel injection engine
systems (an injector is used to introduce the fuel for internal combustion).

 In Bharat stage 6 norms, the usage of oxygen sensors, complex coding of the electronic control
unit, and ignition control are required.

What is the Need for Change in Engine Technology?

The BS VI standards have a broad scope and include significant revisions to the current emission
regulations. While the primary goal of the Bharat Stage Emission Standards is to reduce pollutant
emissions from cars driven on Indian roads, the standards for the sixth stage of these norms, known as
BS VI, would also demand a significant shift in the engine technology used by Indian vehicle makers.

Changes in Petrol Engines

 According to Bharat Stage-6 norms, carbon monoxide emissions must be decreased by 30% and
NOx emissions by 80%. The BS-6 rules also include restrictions for particle and hydrocarbon
emissions, which were left out of earlier norms.

 The programmable fuel injectors must be installed in petrol engines in order to comply with Bharat
Stage-6 pollution standards.

 The exhaust system would be equipped with three-way catalytic converters to significantly
reduce tailpipe emissions.

 The Bharat Stage Emission Standards also call for all BS-6 compliant cars to have an On-Board
Diagnostic System (OBD).

Changes in Diesel Engines

 The Bharat Stage-6 norms require a reduction in NOx emissions from diesel engines by 70% and
a reduction in particle emissions by 80%. The engines must be configured with Euro-6 compatible
technologies in order to achieve these norms.

 The following are the main technological changes required in diesel engines:
a. Installing exhaust system filters to catch diesel particulates.
b. Utilizing SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) or EGR methods to cut back on NOx
emissions
c. An onboard diagnostic system is necessary to keep track of any malfunctioning
emissions-related components.
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How are BS VI Norms Different from BS-IV?

The BS-VI norms are different from BS-IV norms based on the following different parameters discussed
below:

 Sulfur Content - The BS-VI norms fuel only has a 10 ppm sulfur content, compared to the BS-IV
fuels' 50 ppm sulfur content.

 Particulate Matter - The volume of particulate matter(PM 2.5) emission is between 20 to 40

micrograms per cubic meter in BS-VI engines whereas it was 120 micrograms per cubic meter
in BS-IV.

 Nitrogen oxides emission - Under BS VI, the emission of nitrogen oxide would be decreased
by 70% in diesel engines and 25% in petrol engines whereas under BS-IV it was much higher.

 Selective Catalytic Reduction Technology - Utilizing an aqueous urea solution, selective

catalytic reduction technology lowers nitrogen oxides in the system.

 Mandatory on-board diagnostics (OBD) Kit - By using fault codes stored on a computer, the
OBD unit will be able to identify potential areas of malfunction, guaranteeing that the advanced
emission control system installed in a BS-VI car operates as efficiently as possible for the duration
of the vehicle's life.

 RDE (Real Driving Emission) - It will be made available for the first time in India to monitor
emissions in actual environments rather than simply in lab settings.

What is the Impact of shifting from BS-IV to BS-VI?

The Impact of shifting Bharat Stage Emission Standards from BS-IV to BS-VI can be understood in the
following points discussed below:

 Price hike - Due to the shifting to new norms, the cost of manufacturing automobiles will increase,
which will result in increased expenses for car buyers.

 Impact on Economical segment - Prices will rise more quickly for cars in the economy class
and diesel segments in particular.

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 Impact on the engine - Driving an older BS IV vehicle on BS-VI fuel can shorten the life of the
engine. Problems with injection pumps, oil seals, and injectors could result in greater wear and
tear and higher emissions.

 Losses to Manufacturers - Automakers claim to have a sizable inventory of BS-IV vehicles and
that they may have to incur significant losses due to abrupt shifting to BS-VI norms.

 Air Quality Improvement - On the other hand, this change is expected to improve air quality by
decreasing the level of emissions.

Significance of BS-VI Norms

The significance of the BS-VI norms can be understood through the following points discussed below:

 The fact that the air quality in Indian cities is getting worse is largely due to vehicle emissions.
The health of people is being negatively impacted by emissions of NOx, SO2, CO2, and
particulate matter. Cities like Delhi have PM2.5 levels that are more than six times higher than
what the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends. These new regulations will drastically
lower vehicle emissions.

 The difference between diesel and petrol emissions, wherein diesel vehicles are permitted to emit
more particulate matter and nitrogen oxide narrows under the BS-VI norms.

Challenges in implementing the BS-VI Norms

There are certain challenges associated with implementing the BS-VI norms which should be rectified for
the smooth transition from BS-IV to BS-VI. The challenges associated with Bharat Stage Emission
Standards of BS-VI are discussed below -

 Huge Cost for automobile Manufacturers' - Directly transitioning to BS-VI by skipping BS-V will
involve substantial technology advancements, which automakers might be required to make
considerable investments.

 Impact on automobile buyers' - Due to the shifting to new BS-VI norms and technology
upgrades, the cost of manufacturing automobiles will increase, which will result in increased
expenses for car buyers.

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 Timeframe - Normally, a BS upgrade takes 4 years, but in this case, the manufacturers must
upgrade to BS VI by skipping BS V. The Diesel Particulate Filter that was expected to be a part
of the BS-V update may not be able to be included into smaller bonnet cars in India.

Way Forward
Many older vehicles that would be in compliance with BS IV, BS III, or B SII criteria will need to run on
cleaner fuels once BSVI fuels are implemented across the nation.
In comparison to BS-IV fuels, BSVI fuels have a significantly lower sulfur concentration. Therefore,
cleaner fuel will only result in less pollution.
In terms of how BS-VI fuel will affect BS-IV vehicles, the latter may need some fine-tuning in the long run,
but car owners shouldn't be concerned. Low sulfur content may eventually result in greater wear and tear
since sulfur serves as a lubricant for diesel engine injectors. However, the engines may be used safely
for thousands of miles without needing any additional maintenance.

Also, check the Related articles for UPSC Preparation in the table below:

Green Skill Development Program Motor Vehicle Act 2019 Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

Sundar Committee National Electric Mobility Mission Plan National Green Tribunal

UPSC Previous Year Questions related to Bharat Stage Emission

Standards and Pollution

Q1 In the context of proposals to the use of hydrogen-enriched CNG (H-CNG) as fuel for buses in public
transport, consider the following statements:
1. The main advantage of the use of H-CNG is the elimination of carbon monoxide emissions.
2. H-CNG as a fuel reduces carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon emissions.
3. Hydrogen up to one-fifth by volume can be blended with CNG as fuel for buses. 4. H-CNG makes
fuel less expensive than CNG.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC CSE 2019]

a. 1 only
b. 2 and 3 only
c. 4 only
d. 1, 3 and 4 only

We hope all your doubts related to the topic of Bharat Stage Emission Standards are addressed after
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