Metrication in India
Metrication or metrification is the process of converting to the metric system based on the International System of Units (SI). India's conversion to the metric system occurred in stages between 1955 and 1962. The metric system in weights and measures was adopted by the Indian Parliament in December 1956 with the Standards of Weights and Measures Act, which took effect beginning 1 October 1958. The Indian Coinage Act was passed in 1955 by the Government of India to introduce decimal coinage in the country. The new system of coins became legal tender on April 1957, where the rupee consists of 100 paise. For the next five years, both the old and new systems were legal. In April 1962, all other systems were banned. This process of metrication is called "big-bang" route, which is to simultaneously outlaw the use of pre-metric measurement, metricise, reissue all government publications and laws, and change education systems to metric.
India's conversion was quicker than that of many other countries, including its coloniser, the United Kingdom. This was helped by low popular literacy and the fact that there was previously no nationwide standard measurement system—British Imperial units were used by the upper class, while various regional systems were used by the poor[citation needed]. The Indian model was extremely successful and served later as a model for metrication in various African and Asian countries.
The National Physical Laboratory of India, located in New Delhi, is designated the maintainer of SI units in India. It also calibrates the national standards of weights and measures.
History
Before metrication, the government of India followed the Indian Weights and Measures Act passed in 1870 which used the British Imperial system. However, many other indigenous systems were in use in other parts of the country and this was a constant problem with government officials and the public at large.
P N Seth was the founder and secretary of the Indian Decimal Society, whose aim it was to push for the introduction of the metric system in India. P N Seth was assisted by others in the society, such as Professors Dr H L Roy, Dr S K Mitra, and P C Mahalanobis, and other leading Indian scientists. Since 1930, they advocated for discarding the old chaotic system by writing in newspapers, journals, participating in debates and distributing literature.
During the post-WW II interim government, there were attempts to introduce some standardisation in weights and measures but the conservative section of the ruling party never allowed it to be passed. Then outstanding scientific personalities and public figures were mobilised by the Indian Decimal Society. P N Seth put forward a scheme for metrification of currency on 17 January 1944, which was finally adopted in Indian Parliament in 1955.
Common usage today
Today all official measurements are made in the metric system. However, in common usage some older Indians may still refer to British system units. Some measurements, such as the heights of mountains, are still recorded in feet. Additionally, the Indian numbering system of crores and lakhs are used, while tyre rim diameters are still measured in inches, as used worldwide. Road widths are popularly measured in feet but official documents use metres. Body temperature is still sometimes measured in degrees Fahrenheit. Industries like the construction and the real estate industry still use both the metric and the Imperial system though it is more common for sizes of homes to be given in square feet and land in acres. Bulk cotton is sold by the candy (0.35 imperial tons, or 355.62 kg) or the bale (170 kg).Fruits are sold by kilos or dozens.Delhi jal board uses MGD ( million gallons daily ) for water supply measure . Motor industry still use bhp (British horsepower ) for engine power.Indian boier act mentions five gallon as 22.75 litres .Tyre tubes and carbonated beverages are filled based on psi scale . Clothes sizes are in even numbers of inches .Shoes sizes increase by one-third of inches . Football pitch is measured along the ground in yards and height in feet . Ladders are sold per feet .
See also
References
- Acharya, Anil Kumar. History of Decimalisation Movement in India, Auto-Print & Publicity House, 1958.
- Mandavilli, Sujay Rao. Metrication in India. US Metric Association. Retrieved 25 August 2006.
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