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Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
India prepares reporting standard as AI failures may hold clues to managing risks
India is framing guidelines for companies, developers and public institutions to report artificial intelligence-related incidents as the government seeks to create a database to understand and manage the risks AI poses to critical infrastructure. The proposed standard aims to record and classify problems such as AI system failures, unexpected results, or harmful effects of automated decisions, according to a new draft from the Telecommunications Engineering Centre (TEC). Mint has reviewed the document released by the technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The guidelines will ask stakeholders to report events such as telecom network outages, power grid failures, security breaches, and AI mismanagement, and document their impact, according to the draft. 'Consultations with stakeholders are going on pertaining to the draft standard to document such AI-related incidents. TEC's focus is primarily on the telecom and other critical digital infrastructure sectors such as energy and power,"said a government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 'However, once a standard to record such incidents is framed, it can be used interoperably in other sectors as AI is being used everywhere." The plan is to create a central repository and pitch the standard globally to the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union, the official said. Recording and analysing AI incidents is important because system failures, bias, privacy breaches, and unexpected results have raised concerns about how the technology affects people and society. 'AI systems are now instrumental in making decisions that affect individuals and society at large," TEC said in the document proposing the draft standard. 'Despite their numerous benefits, these systems are not without risks and challenges." Queries emailed to TEC didn't elicit a response till press time. Also read | AI at war: Artificial intelligence is reshaping defence strategies Incidents similar to the recent Crowdstrike incident, the largest IT outage in history, can be reported under India's proposed standard. Any malfunction in chatbots, cyber breaches, telecom service quality degradation, IoT sensor failures, etc. will also be covered. The draft requires developers, companies, regulators, and other entities to report the name of the AI application involved in an incident, the cause, location, and industry/sector affected, as well as the severity and kind of harm it caused. Like OECD AI Monitor The TEC's proposal builds on a recommendation from a MeitY sub-committee of on 'AI Governance and Guidelines Development'. The panel's report in January had called for the creation of a national AI incident database to improve transparency, oversight, and accountability. MeitY is also engaged in developing a comprehensive governance framework for the country, with a focus on fostering innovation while ensuring responsible and ethical development and deployment of AI. According to the TEC, the draft defines a standardized scheme for AI incident databases in telecommunications and critical digital infrastructure. 'It also establishes a structured taxonomy for classifying AI incidents systematically. The schema ensures consistency in how incidents are recorded, making data collection and exchange more uniform across different systems," the draft document said. Also read | Apple quietly opens AI gates to developers at WWDC 2025 India's proposed framework is similar to the AI Incidents Monitor of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which documents incidents to help policymakers, AI practitioners, and all stakeholders worldwide gain valuable information about the real-world risks and harms posed by the technology. 'So far, most of the conversations have been primarily around first principles of ethical and responsible AI. However, there is a need to have domain and sector-specific discussions around AI safety," said Dhruv Garg, a tech policy lawyer and partner at Indian Governance and Policy Project (IGAP). 'We need domain specialist technical bodies like TEC for setting up a standardized approach to AI incidents and risks of AI for their own sectoral use cases," Garg said. 'Ideally, the sectoral approach may feed into the objective of the proposed AI Safety Institute at the national level and may also be discussed internationally through the network of AI Safety Institutes." Need for self-reglation In January, MeitY announced the IndiaAI Safety Institute under the ₹10,000 crore IndiaAI Mission to address AI risks and safety challenges. The institute focuses on risk assessment and management, ethical frameworks, deepfake detection tools, and stress testing tools. 'Standardisation is always beneficial as it has generic advantages," said Satya N. Gupta, former principal advisor at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). 'Telecom and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) cuts across all sectors and, therefore, once standards to mitigate AI risks are formed here, then other sectors can also take a cue." Also read | AI hallucination spooks law firms, halts adoption According to Gupta, recording the AI issues should start with guidelines and self-regulation, as enforcing these norms will increase the compliance burden on telecom operators and other companies. The MeitY sub-committee had recommended that the AI incident database should not be started as an enforcement tool and its objective should not be to penalise people who report AI incidents. 'There is a clarity within the government that the plan is not to do fault finding with this exercise but help policy makers, researchers, AI practitioners, etc., learn from the incidents to minimize or prevent future AI harms," the official cited above said.
Time Business News
28-04-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
How to Get a TEC Certificate For a Router?
The importance of telecommunication products in today's world is undeniable and is only growing with time. However, the manufacture, sales, and import of these products are only possible if the owners and manufacturers acquire a TEC certificate from the Telecommunications Engineering Centre. Telecommunications Engineering Centre grants TEC certificates to importers, manufacturers, and business owners to ensure the standard of quality and safety of telecommunication products. To manufacture, sell, and import telecommunication equipment without hindrance, these sets of quality and safety measures must be followed strictly. Telecommunication products such as routers, modems, mobile phones, and IoT devices require mandatory testing under the scheme of MTCTE. The TEC certificate is issued after the testing. The TEC approval for routers in India is a mandatory requirement to manufacture, sell, and import routers. Let's look at the process of obtaining a TEC certificate for a router in India: Begin by obtaining login credentials on the portal of MTCTE. After registering on the portal, fill in the details correctly, and upload the necessary documents. Once the details and documents are reviewed by the TEC, the application is moved forward for the testing process. The applicant can then choose the product for which the certification is required. In the case of routers, the specific variant and other important details of the router must be provided in the registration process. Once the application along with the correct details is submitted, the applicant receives the payment details. The payment of the fee by the applicant is mandatory to proceed with the testing and certification process. While making the payment, make sure to check the payment details and keep a record of the payment receipt after it's done. After the application fee is processed, the applicant can choose an acknowledged Confirmation Assessment body to get the product tested. The applicant needs to upload the test report on the portal along with a declaration of the accuracy of the test reports. Lastly, the TEC will review the test reports and upon satisfaction grant the certificate to the applicant. There are various kinds of approvals that the TEC issues such as Type Approval, Interface Approval, Technology Approval, and Certificate Approval. Let's look into them in detail. Type Approval – This approval ensures that the telecom products meet the specific safety and quality standards. It is meant for telecom devices that have specific functions. It certifies a range of telecom devices following the compliance requirements of TEC. This approval ensures that the telecom products meet the specific safety and quality standards. It is meant for telecom devices that have specific functions. It certifies a range of telecom devices following the compliance requirements of TEC. Interface Approval – Interface approval provides certification of telecom products which is a requirement under TEC to ensure compliance with the Standard for Interfaces. The process of certification involves testing according to the Test Schedule and Test Procedure under TEC. Interface approval provides certification of telecom products which is a requirement under TEC to ensure compliance with the Standard for Interfaces. The process of certification involves testing according to the Test Schedule and Test Procedure under TEC. Certificate of Approval – The certificate of approval is a process of testing and certification according to the manufacturer's details of the product. The testing is done following the TSTP under TEC in tune with the product details provided by the producer. The certificate of approval is a process of testing and certification according to the manufacturer's details of the product. The testing is done following the TSTP under TEC in tune with the product details provided by the producer. Technology Approval – Technology Approval is a process of certifying the prototypes of the telecom devices. The testing of these devices is done at the on-site facilities or in a laboratory. These testing and certifications also include test reports highlighting the safety and environmental testing from authorized & accredited labs. To circulate telecom equipment such as routers and many more, obtaining a TEC certificate is of utmost importance. Given below is the list of benefits of acquiring the same: Producing, selling, and importing TEC-certified telecom routers ensure that there are no fines and penalties in the router circulation. TEC certification ensures clear market access for manufacturers and business owners and helps them to stand upright in the competition. Acquiring a TEC certification instills confidence among the customers increasing the credibility of the owners. The certification provides proof of efficient, safe, and reliable routers fit for long-term use. Address proof of the manufacturing unit. Company registration. Trademark registration copy. Details of the router including product name, brand name, accessories for product operation, user manual, product's marking label, KYC documents for the Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) in the case of foreign manufacturers. MOA of the company. Samples of the product. Bill of material (BoM). Model specifications. TEC certification is now a mandatory requirement for business owners and manufacturers to stay relevant and thrive in the Indian market. TEC certification for routers ensures safety, reliance, and trust for the consumers and increases market growth for the owners. To get through the certification process, you can get in touch with a TEC certificate consultant like Brand Liaison. With the help of our team of professionals and experts, you can make your routers compliant in India. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
