National Certification System for Tissue Culture Raised Plants

National Certification System for Tissue Culture Raised Plants (NCS-TCP) is a unique quality management system established by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India, under the "Seeds Act, 1966" of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare for ensuring production and distribution of quality tissue culture planting materials. It is being implemented by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India since year 2006, as per the Gazette of India Notification under the Seeds Act. 1966.

Tissue culture production facilities get recognition under this quality management system based on compliance with technical capabilities, infrastructure, package of practices and documentation/ record keeping. Once the tissue culture production facility is recognized they become eligible to get their tissue culture raised planting material certified from Accredited Test Laboratories (ATLs). The certified batches of tissue culture raised plants are provided with certification labels enabled with barcode. This barcode provide end users to trace back history of plants from where the tissue culture raised planting material are derived.

Services offered under NCS-TCP

1. Accreditation of Test Laboratories
2. Recognition of Tissue Culture Production Facilities
3. Certification of Tissue Culture Raised Plants
4. Capacity Building / Training

Who can apply for recognition under NCS-TCP

Any tissue culture production facility (Public sector, Private sector, NGO and others) engaged in production of Tissue Culture Plant with minimum production capacity of 0.5 million plants can apply. The commercial laboratory should be operational at the time of submission of application.

How and When to apply for recognition under NCS-TCP?

• A duly filled in application form in 5 sets along with the following documents. To get the application form, click here.
• Acknowledgement receipt of online transfer towards registration fee payment of Rs 2000.
• Labeled and numbered photographs showing Washing Room; Media Preparation Room(s); Media Storage Room(s); Inoculation Room(s); Growth Room(s) and Transfer/Grading Area; Locations of Pressure Module/ Air Handling Unit (AHU)/ HVAC system in Media Storage Room(s), Inoculation Room(s) & Growth Room(s); Grading area; Double door entrance in Primary and Secondary Hardening Area Hardening Areas depicting plants
• Layout/ Drawing of tissue culture production facility covering lab area (entry, washing, media preparation, storage, inoculation, growth room, grading area etc.), hardening and nursery. The layout should also clearly indicate man and material movement, sterile & non sterile zone, location of pass box, pressure module, emergency exit and double door in hardening areas
• The application is to be sent to the following address - NCS - TCP Management Cell” , Biotech Consortium India Limited, 5th Floor, Anuvrat Bhawan, 210 Deendayal Upadhyaya Marg, New Delhi - 110002.
• The applications are accepted round the year.

Process of recognition and evaluation criteria

1. Process of Recognition of Tissue Culture Production Facilities (TCPFs)
2. Criteria on which the tissue culture production facilities are evaluated
3. The validity of Certificate of Accreditation and Recognition is 2 years which is subject to renewal.

Source : NCS TCP website

Related Resources

1. Standard Operating Procedures for Tissue Culture Production Facility
2. Tissue Culture Standards for crops
3. Accredited Test Labs