Other

Unequipped boards, panels, consoles and cabinets for switchgear

PARTNER GOVERNMENT AGENCY CLEARANCE

HSN 8538 10 90 (unequipped boards, panels, consoles, desks, cabinets and other bases for switchgear apparatus of Heading 8537) is subject to mandatory certification under the Mandatory Testing and Certification of Telecom Equipment (MTCTE) scheme administered by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), where the product falls within the notified list of telecom equipment. Importers must verify whether the specific product is captured in the notified MTCTE list before filing the bill of entry.

What this is

HSN code

8538 10 90

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

Primary regulator

DoT · Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 — MTCTE mandatory certification scheme

Customs documentation

MTCTE certification from DoT
TEC type-approval certificate from DoT
Import declaration from CBIC

Compliance steps

1
Determine whether the specific product variant falls within the notified list of telecom equipment under the MTCTE scheme. The operative notifications are TEC/01/2017-TC dated 04-07-2019, amended vide F.No.5-2/2021-TC/TEC/131 dated 13-06-2022 and F.No.5-2/2024-TC/TEC(Pt.1) dated 25-02-2025; consult the current MTCTE product list before booking shipment.
Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 · DoT Notification TEC/01/2017-TC dated 04-07-2019 as amended vide F.No.5-2/2021-TC/TEC/131 dated 13-06-2022 and F.No.5-2/2024-TC/TEC(Pt.1) dated 25-02-2025
2
Where the product is on the MTCTE notified list, obtain the mandatory TEC type-approval certificate from the Telecommunication Engineering Centre before shipment. Import of notified telecom equipment without a valid MTCTE certificate is not permitted at the bill-of-entry stage.
Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017 · DoT Notification TEC/01/2017-TC dated 04-07-2019

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that because the product is an unequipped base or cabinet — not finished switchgear — it falls outside the MTCTE net. The MTCTE notified list covers parts and sub-assemblies intended principally for telecom apparatus, and a product wrongly imported without certification is detained at the port of entry, with demurrage accruing until either a certificate is produced or the consignment is re-exported. Verify product-level MTCTE applicability against the amended notification F.No.5-2/2024-TC/TEC(Pt.1) dated 25-02-2025 before placing the purchase order.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8538 10 90 require BIS certification?

No, this tariff line is not covered by a BIS Quality Control Order. Where the product falls within the notified telecom equipment list, mandatory certification is governed by the Department of Telecommunications under the MTCTE scheme pursuant to the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2017.

How do I determine whether my specific panel or cabinet is on the MTCTE notified list?

Consult the current MTCTE product list as updated by DoT Notification F.No.5-2/2024-TC/TEC(Pt.1) dated 25-02-2025; the notified list has been amended multiple times since the original TEC/01/2017-TC notification and the latest amendment controls.

What happens if the product is not on the MTCTE notified list?

If the product does not appear in the MTCTE notified list, mandatory MTCTE certification is not triggered and the import proceeds without a TEC type-approval certificate, subject to any other applicable customs requirements at the bill-of-entry stage.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: Indian Customs CUSDATA.