Chapter 2 – Artificial Intelligence Standardisation Procedure

Article 5 | OpenBharat.net Working Groups (OWGs) and the Standardisation Lifecycle

(1)   This Article establishes the operational lifecycle for technical standardization, open benchmark formulation, and regulatory specification tracks under OpenBharat.net. Standardization activities are executed exclusively through specialized OpenBharat.net Working Groups (OWGs) constituted under Schedule 2 of the ISAIL Charter, formally superseding technical committees. 

(2)   Initiation and Constitution of OWGs: An OWG may be formally proposed and chartered through either of the following tracks:

• Multi-Council Proposal: An OWG proposal may be formally submitted by the ISAIL Academic Council, the Global Advisory Council, or members of the OBGC; or

• Direct OBGC Enabling Resolution: The OpenBharat.net Governing Council (OBGC) may, on its own motion or upon identifying an urgent national standardisation need at the request of an ISAIL Contributing Member (as defined in Article 3 of the ISAIL Charter) or a legitimate non-member individual or entity, directly approve an enabling charter constituting an OWG.

(3) Standardisation Lifecycle: Unless an expedited or extended charter is explicitly approved by the OBGC, an OWG standard shall advance through the following agile stages:

• Stage 1 – Inception & Scoping (Up to 60 Days):

  • Adoption of the working track charter and appointment of ratified Technical or Policy Convenors.

  • Initial use-case classification and technical problem mapping under Article 7.

  • Primary stakeholder identification and open call for participation under Article 6.

• Stage 2 – Drafting & Empirical Prototyping (Up to 90 Days):

  • Development of the draft specification, benchmark suite, or model code within the OWG.

  • Convenor-led technical evaluations, empirical testbeds, and regulatory compatibility checks.

  • Periodic progress briefings submitted to the OBGC and the Secretariat.

• Stage 3 – Open Peer Review & Consultation (Up to 60 Days):

  • Circulating working candidate drafts to accredited Academic Members, Alliance Members, and vetted external stakeholders.

  • Reconciling technical feedback, public commentary, and sector-specific adaptations.

• Stage 4 – Final Ratification & Institutional Clearance (Up to 45 Days):

  • Substantive consensus achieved among deliberating Convenors and contributing members of the OWG.

  • Joint publication and clearance by the OBGC and the ISAIL Secretariat pursuant to Schedule 2 (Clause 13) of the ISAIL Charter.

(4) Lifecycle Flexibility and Extensions:

• The OBGC reserves the right to grant reasonable timeline extensions based on computational complexity, hardware availability, or cross-sectoral regulatory consultations.

• Individual stages may run concurrently where technical milestones permit, ensuring administrative efficiency without compromising testing rigor or algorithmic integrity.