BIS Reinstates 2016 Seismic Code, Drops 2025 Revision

Code withdrawn: IS 1893 (2025) – the latest seismic design code.
Code reinstated: IS 1893 (Part 1):2016 – currently applicable.
Cost concerns raised by MoHUA:
Buildings: 10‑15% cost rise in Zones V & VI.
Infrastructure projects: up to 50% increase.
Scientific basis of the 2025 code: Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA), active fault mapping, near‑fault effects.
Seismic zonation (IS 1893‑2016):
Zone II – Low
Zone III – Moderate
Zone IV – High
Zone V – Very High
~59% of India's landmass lies in zones III‑V.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) formulates technical standards for safety, including earthquake‑resistant design.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) oversees urban development and building regulations.
The 2025 revision aimed to incorporate cutting‑edge seismological research but was perceived as cost‑prohibitive and lacking stakeholder engagement.
Following MoHUA’s objections, BIS re‑instated the 2016 code, which remains the legal benchmark for structural design.

Disaster Management: Ensures that the majority of the country continues to follow a tested, implementable seismic design standard, crucial for life‑safety.
Infrastructure & Housing Costs: Reverting averts potential escalation in public‑sector project budgets and private housing costs, preserving fiscal space.
Stakeholder Consultation: Highlights the need for inclusive policy‑making when technical standards affect large‑scale investments.
Urban Planning: Aligns building approvals, municipal clearances and financing with a stable regulatory framework.

Disaster Management Act, 2005: Mandates the formulation of guidelines for disaster‑resilient construction.
National Building Code of India (NBC) – 2016: Incorporates IS 1893 standards for seismic design.
BIS Act, 2016: Empowers BIS to issue, amend or withdraw standards after due process.
MoHUA’s statutory role under the Urban Development Ministry to ensure that building norms are economically viable and socially acceptable.

Remember the current seismic code (IS 1893‑2016) and the four seismic zones.
Understand the policy trade‑off between scientific rigor and economic feasibility.
Relate the episode to broader themes of disaster‑resilient infrastructure, inter‑ministerial coordination, and stakeholder participation in standard‑setting.

Source: Economic Times (ET), 13 March 2026