At a glance
- Started
- 1 October 2023
- Standard
- AIS-197
- Frontal test
- Offset barrier at 64 km/h
- Side test
- 50 km/h
- Adult score
- Out of 32 points
- Child score
- Out of 49 points
Source: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Bharat NCAP
Bharat NCAP is India’s own crash-test programme for cars. Since 1 October 2023, carmakers can send their models to be crash-tested in India and given a star rating for adult and child safety. A five-star score tells you a car protected its dummies well in these tests and has the required safety equipment.
This guide explains what is tested, how the points turn into stars, and the details on a rating card that most buyers skip.
Key takeaways
- Every car gets two separate ratings: adult occupant protection and child occupant protection.
- Five stars needs at least 27 of 32 points for adults and 41 of 49 for children.
- A car needs electronic stability control and front seat-belt reminders to get three stars or more.
- The rating applies to the variant tested. Check that the one you buy has the same safety kit.
What Bharat NCAP tests
Bharat NCAP follows Automotive Industry Standard 197 and is based on the Global NCAP protocol. It covers M1 passenger cars with up to eight seats plus the driver and a gross weight under 3.5 tonnes, whether petrol, diesel, CNG or electric.
| Test | Speed | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Frontal offset | 64 km/h | Head-on crash into a deformable barrier covering part of the car’s front |
| Side impact | 50 km/h | A trolley hits the driver’s side |
| Side pole | 29 km/h | Side crash into a pole, done only on cars scoring 3 stars or more |
The manufacturer nominates a model, and the base variant is picked from the factory by random sampling. Testing is voluntary, so not every car on sale has a rating.
How points turn into stars
Adults and children are scored separately. The table shows the minimum points needed for each star level.
| Stars | Adult (out of 32) | Child (out of 49) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 27 | 41 |
| 4 | 22 | 35 |
| 3 | 16 | 27 |
| 2 | 10 | 18 |
| 1 | 4 | 9 |
Points are not the whole story. To reach three stars or more, the car must also have electronic stability control and front seat-belt reminders, whatever its crash score.
How to read a rating card
A five-star headline is a good start, but look at three more things before you treat two cars as equal.
- Both scores: some cars do very well for adults and only average for children. If you have young kids, the child score matters more.
- The points, not only the stars: 27 and 31.5 out of 32 are both five stars, but they are not the same result.
- The tested variant: the report names the variant and its airbags and other kit. Lower variants may have fewer airbags.
Download the official result from the Bharat NCAP website and compare the safety equipment list with the brochure page for the variant you plan to buy.
How the child score is built
The child score of 49 points has three parts. Most of it comes from how child dummies seated in child seats fare in the frontal and side crash tests. The rest comes from how easily and correctly common child seats can be installed in the car, and from a check of the car’s own features, such as ISOFIX mounts, the ability to switch off the front passenger airbag, and seat-belt fittings in the rear.
This is why two cars with similar adult scores can be far apart on child safety. A car that scores well here makes it easier to fit and use a child seat properly every day, which matters as much as the crash result.
Take your child seat to the showroom and try fitting it in the back seat. If it is a struggle there, it will be a struggle every morning.
Bharat NCAP vs Global NCAP
Global NCAP is an independent charity based in the UK that has tested Indian cars since 2014. Bharat NCAP is run by the Indian government and tests cars in India. The two use similar test methods, but they are separate programmes, so a car’s ratings can differ between them, and older Global NCAP results were made under earlier rules.
Questions buyers ask
Is Bharat NCAP testing compulsory?
No. Carmakers volunteer their models for testing.
Does the rating apply to every variant?
It applies to the tested specification. Variants with less safety equipment may not perform the same.
Are electric cars tested?
Yes. Bharat NCAP covers petrol, diesel, CNG and electric passenger cars.
Where can I see official results?
On the Bharat NCAP website, which lists each tested car with its scores and report.
