Most delays in PGS-India certification come from a deadline someone did not know about. Chapter 6 of the guidelines lists them, and a few more sit elsewhere in the document. This episode collects every deadline for Local Groups, Regional Councils and Zonal Councils in one place.
The short version
- Summary sheet: at least 7 days before harvest.
- Actual yields: within 60 days of harvest.
- The RC decides within 30 days, or the decision is auto-approved.
- No summary sheet for 12 months: the group is suspended.
Local Group Deadlines
Appraisal window, summary sheet, yields, training, meetings, resubmission and stock rules for groups.
| What | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Peer appraisal window | During the crop growth period — from 15 days after sowing to 15 days before harvest |
| Plantation crops | Two peer appraisals — one during flowering, another six months later |
| Peer appraisal summary sheet upload | No later than 7 days before the harvest date |
| Actual yield upload | Within 60 days of harvest |
| First training | Within 6 months of registration; at least one training a year |
| Group meetings | Four a year, at least two each season (§6.1.1); §4.2 sets 2 a year for perennial-crop groups and 4 for annual-crop groups |
| Resubmission after RC returns a decision | Within 15 days |
| Holding stock | Within the validity of the scope certificate |
| Unsold stock with no TCs issued | Deleted automatically by the website 12 months after the harvest date |
| Continuous non-submission of summary sheets | Two seasons or 12 months → group suspended; revival restarts at PGS-Green-1 |
Perishables work on a shorter cycle. Livestock products, vegetables and fruits may be traded daily or weekly at the group's discretion, with yields uploaded weekly or fortnightly and TCs issued in batch mode on the same weekly or fortnightly basis.
Regional Council Deadlines
Acceptance, endorsement, decisions, yield approval, inspections and processor plans for RCs.
| What | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Accept a Local Group, individual farmer or processor application | Within 30 days of submission |
| First inspection and endorsement, when a group asks the RC to endorse it | Within 60 days, then grant registration |
| Approve a certification decision | Within 30 days of the summary sheet — or 15 days on resubmission after a return |
| Certify an individual farmer or processor | Within 30 days of physical inspection |
| Approve actual yields | Within 15 days of the group uploading them |
| Physical inspection of Local Groups | Within 12 months the first time, then at least once every 24 months — and at least 50% of groups each year |
| Physical inspection of individual farmers and processing units | At least once a year |
| Approve a processor's annual system plan | Within 15 days of submission |
The 30-day certification limit has teeth: if the RC doesn't endorse or otherwise act on the group's decision within 30 days, the decision is auto-approved on the PGS-India website and a non-compliance is recorded against the RC.
Zonal Council Deadlines
RC evaluation, the annual report, appeals and complaints for Zonal Councils.
| What | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Monitor and physically evaluate each RC | At least once in 12 months |
| Annual report on RCs | Once a year, in January–February, covering January to December |
| Decide a Local Group's appeal against certification denial | Within 30 days of the appeal |
| Investigate a complaint and report to the Secretariat | Within 60 days of receiving it |
Validity and Appeals
Scope certificates last 12 months from RC approval; appeals are decided in 30 days, or 90 with investigation.
- Scope certificate: valid for 12 months from the date the RC approves the decision; issued season-wise (kharif, rabi and zaid).
- Appeals in general: disposed of within 30 days of receipt, or 90 days where an investigation is needed.
- Appealing a sanction: within 2 weeks of being notified — covered in detail in the appeals episode.
For how these deadlines fit into the certification sequence itself, see the certification process.
Check yourself
Tap an answer to see whether you are right, and why.
By when must actual yields be uploaded?
- 7 days before harvest
- Within 60 days of harvest
- Within 12 months
The RC then approves within 15 days.
How often must a Zonal Council evaluate each RC?
- Every 3 years
- At least once in 12 months
- Only after complaints
It also reports on RCs every January to February.
Remember these things
- 7 days before harvest: summary sheet.
- 60 days after harvest: yields.
- 30 days: the RC's decision.
- 12 months of silence: suspension.
A calendar built from these deadlines prevents most certification delays. KrushiFlow validates these fields and submits farmer records to the portal in bulk.