STQC Digital Accessibility Certification — India
STQC certification for Indian digital platforms requires demonstrable accessibility compliance — assessed against WCAG 2.1, IS 17802, and GIGW 3.0.
STQC certification for Indian digital platforms requires demonstrable accessibility compliance — assessed against WCAG 2.1, IS 17802, and GIGW 3.0.
STQC — Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification — is the quality assurance programme of the STQC Directorate, a body under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. For digital platforms, STQC provides quality evaluation and certification services that assess whether a website, portal, or digital application meets India's technical and accessibility standards.
STQC certification is not a self-declaration. It is a formal evaluation conducted by a STQC-accredited testing body, resulting in a certification that a platform meets the required standards. For accessibility, this means demonstrated conformance to WCAG 2.1 Level AA and, for government platforms, to GIGW 3.0 and IS 17802.
STQC certification is widely referenced in:
STQC Directorate (MeitY)
Conducts and accredits testing for STQC certification
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
Publishes IS 17802, the national accessibility standard STQC evaluates against
National Informatics Centre (NIC)
Issues and maintains GIGW 3.0, which STQC evaluates for government portals
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Responsible for RPwD Act enforcement, which overlaps with STQC accessibility obligations
For digital platforms — particularly government websites and e-governance portals — STQC certification includes a formal accessibility evaluation. The standards applied in this evaluation are layered:
Perceivable
Content must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive, including text alternatives for non-text content, captions for media, and adaptable content presentation
Operable
All functionality must be accessible via keyboard, content must not cause seizures or physical reactions, and users must have sufficient time to read and use content
Understandable
Information and interface operation must be understandable, including readable text, predictable behaviour, and accessible input assistance
Robust
Content must be interpretable by current and future assistive technologies, including proper use of accessibility APIs and markup
Government websites and portals
e-Governance services and citizen-facing platforms
Public sector digital infrastructure
Platforms developed under government schemes or procurement frameworks
IS 17802 conformance satisfies the technical accessibility requirement within STQC evaluation.
IS 17802 Audit FrameworkThe Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW 3.0), issued by NIC, are mandatory for all government and government-linked digital platforms. GIGW 3.0 incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA as a compliance requirement and adds structural, navigational, and content standards specific to government portals. STQC evaluation for government portals assesses GIGW 3.0 compliance as a distinct component of certification. Non- compliance with GIGW 3.0 is a direct cause of STQC certification failure for government platforms.
All central government ministry and department websites
State government portals and citizen service platforms
National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) and Digital India programme portals
NIC-managed and NIC-hosted digital platforms
Government-linked statutory body and autonomous institution websites
PSU and government-owned enterprise digital platforms
Private organisations tendering for government digital contracts
Healthcare digital services integrated with Ayushman Bharat and other national health programmes
Edtech platforms receiving government funding or serving government-affiliated institutions
Financial services platforms where digital accessibility intersects with government scheme delivery
Infrastructure and utility service providers with citizen-facing portals
SEBI-regulated entities — listed companies, stock brokers, mutual funds, investment advisers, and other market intermediaries — have independent digital accessibility obligations under SEBI's directives. Where a SEBI-regulated entity also operates platforms requiring STQC compliance, these obligations exist in parallel. An audit structured to address both simultaneously is the most efficient path to documented compliance.
STQC certification is a formal evaluation process. It is not a consultation or an advisory review. Non-conformances identified during STQC testing result in certification failure, requiring remediation and re-evaluation. This has direct consequences:
Delayed deployment
Government platforms and e-governance services cannot go live without STQC certification; non-compliance delays public service delivery
Procurement disqualification
Private organisations tendering on government contracts with STQC requirements may be disqualified if certification cannot be produced on schedule
Repeated evaluation costs
Each STQC retesting cycle adds direct cost and extends the certification timeline
Governance exposure
Procurement, legal, and audit teams within government bodies are increasingly required to document compliance evidence; STQC failure creates a paper trail that affects institutional credibility
Reputational impact
Publicly visible STQC certification status affects how government ministries and procurement teams assess a platform's readiness
STQC certification is one component of India's evolving digital accessibility regulatory structure. Understanding how it interacts with parallel obligations helps organisations prioritise compliance effort and avoid duplication.
| Obligation | Governing Body | Who It Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| STQC Certification | STQC Directorate / MeitY | Government portals, e-governance platforms, MeitY-mandated digital projects |
| GIGW 3.0 | NIC / MeitY | All government and government-linked digital platforms |
| IS 17802 | Bureau of Indian Standards | Government, public sector, regulated digital platforms |
| RPwD Act 2016 | Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment | Any establishment providing services to the public, including digitally |
| SEBI Accessibility Directives | SEBI | All SEBI-regulated intermediaries and investor-facing digital platforms |
An organisation subject to STQC may simultaneously carry RPwD Act obligations and, if SEBI-regulated, SEBI compliance obligations. A consolidated audit addressing all applicable frameworks in a single engagement is more efficient and produces stronger compliance evidence.
Demonstrate WCAG 2.1, IS 17802, and GIGW alignment with audit-grade testing, documented findings, and remediation guidance suited to certification and procurement review.
