STQC Accessibility Audit Framework
Independent accessibility audits structured for STQC certification — mapped to WCAG 2.1/2.2, IS 17802, and GIGW 3.0 testing protocols.
Audit reports structured for STQC submission and internal governance
Independent audit institution — no STQC process conflicts
Manual expert-led testing with assistive technology validation
WCAG 2.1/2.2 (A, AA, AAA) aligned
IS 17802 and GIGW 3.0 mapped
What Is STQC and Why It Requires Accessibility Compliance
The Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Directorate, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is India's primary quality and testing body for digital and electronic products. For digital platforms — particularly government portals, e-governance services, and public-facing websites — STQC testing includes evaluation against accessibility standards as a core component of quality certification.
STQC's accessibility testing protocol is anchored in India's national accessibility framework, specifically:
- IS 17802 — India's national standard for web accessibility, aligned to WCAG 2.1
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA — the international technical baseline applied across STQC evaluations
- GIGW 3.0 (Guidelines for Indian Government Websites) — the government-mandated design and accessibility standard for all government and e-governance portals
- RPwD Act 2016 — the statutory accessibility obligation applicable to public services and digital platforms
Obtaining STQC certification without first achieving genuine, evidence-based accessibility compliance is not possible. Organisations that attempt to progress through the STQC process without a structured pre-audit routinely encounter rejections, delays, and repeated testing cycles.
Accord Compliance structures its audit methodology specifically to support organisations preparing for STQC testing — ensuring compliance gaps are identified, documented, and resolved before STQC evaluation begins.
What STQC Tests for Accessibility
Body: STQC's digital accessibility evaluation covers:
Conformance to WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA success criteria across web content and interfaces
IS 17802 compliance for Indian-language and bilingual digital platforms
Assistive technology compatibility — screen readers, keyboard navigation, and voice input
Colour contrast, text alternatives, form accessibility, and error identification
Document accessibility — PDFs and downloadable content associated with the platform
Mobile accessibility for responsive and app-based government services
GIGW 3.0 checklist compliance for government portal structure, navigation, and content standards
Non-conformance in any of these areas results in STQC testing failures requiring rework and re-evaluation.
How Accord Compliance Audits Against STQC Requirements
Accord Compliance does not conduct STQC certification itself. STQC certification is issued by the STQC Directorate following its own evaluation process. What Accord Compliance provides is an independent pre-certification accessibility audit — a rigorous, evidence-based assessment of your digital platform against the exact standards that STQC evaluates. This separation is deliberate and important. An independent audit produces findings that are:
Uninfluenced by certification incentives
Documented to a standard that withstands institutional review
Useful both for STQC preparation and for your own governance records
Our audit process
Scope Definition and Standards Mapping
Before testing begins, we establish:
- Which STQC evaluation category applies to your platform (government portal, e-governance service, citizen-facing application, or hybrid)
- Which version of IS 17802 and WCAG applies based on platform type and deployment context
- Whether GIGW 3.0 requirements apply and their scope across your platform architecture
- The digital assets in scope — web pages, mobile applications, downloadable documents, and integrated third-party components
This prevents scope gaps that commonly cause STQC failures.
Expert Manual Testing
Automated scanning is used only as a supplementary signal. The core of our STQC-aligned audit is manual expert testing:
- Page-level and component-level evaluation against WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA success criteria
- IS 17802 compliance checks across Indian-language content and bilingual interface elements
- Assistive technology testing using screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver) and keyboard-only navigation
- Mobile accessibility testing on iOS and Android platforms where applicable
- Form validation, error handling, timeout behaviour, and dynamic content accessibility
- PDF and document accessibility review for all downloadable materials associated with the platform
Each failure is documented with: the applicable WCAG/IS 17802 success criterion, evidence screenshots, reproduction steps, severity classification, and user impact description.
GIGW 3.0 Overlay Assessment
For government and e-governance platforms, STQC testing includes GIGW 3.0 compliance. Accord Compliance conducts a parallel GIGW assessment that covers:
- Mandatory page elements and site structure as defined in GIGW 3.0
- Navigation and header/footer standards for government portals
- Content standards including reading level, language, and format requirements
- Citizen feedback and helpdesk accessibility requirements
- STQC/GIGW overlap areas where a single finding affects both standards
Evidence-Grade Reporting
The output of an Accord STQC accessibility audit is a structured compliance report that includes:
- A summary conformance statement mapped to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, IS 17802, and GIGW 3.0 where applicable
- A full findings register with severity grading (Critical / Major / Minor / Advisory)
- Prioritised remediation guidance aligned to STQC evaluation criteria
- Evidence documentation suitable for internal audit, STQC submission context, and regulatory review
- An executive summary for governance and leadership teams
GIGW, IS 17802, and WCAG — How They Work Together in STQC Evaluation
| Standard | Role in STQC | Who It Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG 2.1 Level AA | Technical accessibility baseline | All platforms under STQC evaluation |
| IS 17802 | India's national standard — aligned to WCAG 2.1 | Government, public-sector, regulated platforms |
| GIGW 3.0 | Government portal structure + accessibility | Central and state government portals, e-governance services |
| RPwD Act 2016 | Statutory accessibility obligation | Any establishment providing services to the public |
| STQC Evaluation | Quality and certification process incorporating all above | Government and regulated digital platforms requiring STQC approval |
A single, comprehensive accessibility audit — structured correctly — can produce evidence satisfying these frameworks simultaneously. Accord Compliance is structured to deliver exactly this.
Who Needs STQC Accessibility Compliance
STQC certification is required or strongly expected for a defined set of Indian digital platforms. Understanding which category your platform falls into determines the scope and urgency of your compliance obligation.
Platforms That Require STQC Certification
Central government websites and portals
State government portals
MeitY-funded or MeitY-mandated digital projects
Government-linked and public-sector undertaking (PSU) websites
E-Governance platforms
Platforms Where STQC Compliance Is Strongly Advised
Private organisations tendering for government contracts
Healthcare digital services
Education technology platforms
Fintech and regulated financial platforms
Utility and infrastructure service providers
The Consequence of Proceeding Without Pre-Audit
Evaluation failure
Scope gaps
Documentation gaps
Reputational and governance risk
An independent pre-audit eliminates these risks by producing a complete, structured compliance record before STQC evaluation begins.
Digital Accessibility Audit ServicesGovernment Procurement, GeM Portal, and Digital Accessibility Compliance
India's government procurement ecosystem is converging on a clear expectation: digital platforms that interact with government processes — whether as service portals, vendor interfaces, or e-governance touchpoints — must demonstrate accessibility compliance. This expectation is no longer informal. It is being embedded into tender specifications, GeM onboarding requirements, and MeitY procurement frameworks. For organisations operating in this space, STQC certification and digital accessibility compliance are increasingly the same conversation.
GeM Portal and Accessibility Requirements
Technology product vendors on GeM
Software, SaaS platforms, digital services, and ICT products listed on GeM are subject to evaluation against accessibility and quality standards, including STQC certification requirements for applicable product categories
Service providers delivering government digital projects via GeM
Organisations contracted through GeM to build or maintain government digital platforms must ensure those platforms meet STQC, GIGW 3.0, and IS 17802 requirements before delivery
Startups and MSMEs registered on GeM
DPIIT-recognised startups and MSMEs participating in government procurement through GeM's startup and MSME categories are subject to the same digital platform compliance obligations when their offering involves digital delivery
An accessibility audit report from an independent institution is the most defensible form of evidence for GeM qualification processes that include accessibility or quality compliance requirements.
GIGW 3.0 Audit FrameworkGovernment Tenders and Digital Accessibility as a Procurement Condition
Central and state government tenders for digital services
Website development, application building, e-governance platform delivery, digital transformation projects — increasingly include WCAG, IS 17802, GIGW 3.0, and STQC compliance as explicit technical evaluation criteria. In many tenders, these are qualifying conditions, not scoring factors — meaning non-compliant vendors are disqualified before evaluation begins.
Common tender language now includes requirements such as:
- The platform shall conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA as per IS 17802
- The website shall comply with GIGW 3.0 guidelines as issued by NIC
- Accessibility testing shall be conducted by an independent third-party auditor
- STQC certification shall be obtained prior to platform go-live
For organisations bidding on these tenders, independent accessibility audit documentation from a credible, conflict-free institution is not optional — it is a deliverable. Accord Compliance audits are structured to produce exactly this documentation, with the reporting format and evidence standards that government procurement evaluators expect.
DPIIT-Recognised Startups and Accessibility Compliance
DPIIT recognition under the Startup India programme does not by itself require accessibility compliance.
However, DPIIT-recognised startups that:
- Develop digital products for government use or government procurement
- Participate in government schemes delivering technology to citizens
- Build platforms funded under MeitY, NASSCOM, or other government-linked initiatives
- Offer SaaS or digital services to regulated entities (SEBI, banks, insurance companies, government PSUs)
...carry the same STQC, GIGW, and IS 17802 compliance obligations as any other technology vendor when their platform is within scope of those requirements.
Startup India recognition is not an exemption from accessibility law. The RPwD Act 2016's obligations apply to any establishment providing services to the public digitally — regardless of registration status, funding stage, or company size.
For DPIIT-recognised startups preparing to enter government procurement, participate in Digital India schemes, or scale digital platforms to serve regulated markets, an early-stage accessibility audit establishes a compliance baseline that protects against procurement disqualification, regulatory exposure, and remediation costs that grow with platform complexity.
Important: Accord Compliance does not assist with Startup India registration, DPIIT recognition applications, GeM vendor onboarding processes, or tender bid preparation. Our scope is strictly digital accessibility audit and compliance documentation. The audit report we produce is a compliance input to your procurement or certification process — not a procurement advisory service.
STQC Accessibility Audit Deliverables
Every Accord Compliance STQC pre-audit produces a structured set of deliverables designed for multiple purposes: STQC preparation, internal governance, regulatory disclosure, and long-term compliance management.
overall compliance status mapped to WCAG 2.1/2.2 Level AA, IS 17802, and GIGW 3.0 as applicable
Every non-conformance with WCAG success criterion reference, severity grade, reproduction steps, evidence, and user impact
A focused section summarising critical issues most likely to affect STQC evaluation outcomes
Findings ordered by compliance risk and estimated remediation effort
A non-technical overview for senior leadership, governance committees, and procurement teams
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Frequently Asked Questions — STQC Accessibility Compliance
Start Your STQC Accessibility Compliance Audit
STQC evaluation includes accessibility testing against WCAG, IS 17802, and GIGW 3.0. An independent pre-audit closes every gap before certification testing begins.