Why in the News?
On May 20, 2025, the Department of Consumer Affairs celebrated World Metrology Day, marking the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in Paris on May 20, 1875.
About the Metre Convention:
- Inception: Also called the Treaty of the Metre, it was signed in Paris on May 20, 1875, to establish a global system of standardised measurements.
- 17 Founding Members: Argentina, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Norway, Switzerland, Ottoman Empire (Turkiye), USA, and Venezuela.
- Institutions Created: The treaty established the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), and two governing bodies—CGPM (General Conference on Weights and Measures) and CIPM (International Committee for Weights and Measures).
- Early Prototypes: It created international prototypes of the metre and kilogram, stored at the BIPM; member countries received national copies for comparison.
- Expansion in 1921: The Convention was extended to cover all physical quantities, forming the basis for the International System of Units (SI).
- Global Reach: As of October 2024, there are 64 member states in the Convention.
- Collaboration: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), European Space Agency (ESA) participate in the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).
India and the Convention:
- Membership: India joined the Metre Convention in 1957 after passing the Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1956.
- Participation Benefits: India gained the ability to participate in BIPM work, align with global systems, and ensure international recognition of its standards.
- Recent Milestone: India is now the 13th country authorized to issue OIML (International Organisation of Legal Metrology) Certificates.
| [UPSC 2007] Consider the following statements:
1. The series of the International Paper Sizes is based on A0 size whose area is 0.5 m² (approximately). 2. The area of A4 size paper is 1/8th of that of the A0 size paper. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 * |
Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024
