Proposal for new strict digital rules to prevent fraud in vehicle PUC testing

A proposal is being introduced to prevent fraud in vehicle Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate testing in India, according to which results obtained through testing machines will be digitally signed and sent directly to the central government server. According to a report by Hindustan Times, an amendment to Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-137 (Part 8) issued under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules has been proposed to be implemented from October 2026.

Under this new framework, hardware-based security features will be introduced in equipment used for emission testing of petrol and diesel vehicles, so that readings cannot be altered by operators or external devices. It will be mandatory for devices such as gas analyzers and smoke meters to have a 'Trusted Platform Module' (TPM 2.0) security chip, which will generate and store cryptographic keys. After every valid test, the results will be digitally signed within the machine itself via the machine's own SIM or e-SIM connection before being sent to the PUCC server.

The objective of this reform is also to prevent tampering with data through computers at testing centres. Local computers will be limited only to starting the test and printing the certificate. They will not be permitted to use the machine's private signing key or change the emission values. Wi-Fi or the computer's internet connection cannot be used to send test data.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the current digital PUC system links test results with the VAHAN database, and the software developed by NIC is implemented in 31 states. This system includes features such as geo-fencing of testing centres, vehicle photos and videos, as well as real-time reporting. The Ministry stated that test results are updated in the vehicle system in real-time.

The testing process has also been made stricter in the new rules. Measurement must be conducted for at least 60 seconds, and the average reading of the last 10 seconds will be taken as the result. Other live readings, except for engine speed, will not be visible during measurement. If the oxygen level is recorded at 5% or more, the test will be rejected and the operator will have to conduct the test again. If there are attempts to unauthorizedly open the equipment or tamper with the software, testing will be suspended until the machine is re-verified.

A various legal framework is in place in India to manage vehicle emission rules and certificates, which was designed to control pollution caused by vehicles.