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Circular No. 10/2024-Customs
F.No.450/128/2024-Cus IV
Government of India
Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue
(Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs)
*******
Room No. 229A, North Block,
New Delhi, dated the 20
th
August, 2024
To,
All Principal Chief Commissioners/ Chief Commissioners (Customs/ Customs (Preventive)/ Customs
& Central Tax),
All Principal Commissioners/ Commissioners (Customs/ Customs (Preventive),
All Principal Director General/ Director General under CBIC

Subject: Use of ICETABs for efficient examination and clearance process - reg.

Madam/ Sir,
Sustained efforts by CBIC in simplifying trade procedures, enhancing transparency, and
adopting best practices have enabled it to achieve steady improvements across various trade facilitation
indicators, as reflected in the Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation conducted
by the UNESCAP 2023. As per the Global Report 2023, India’s overall trade facilitation
implementation score has improved from 78.49 per cent in 2019 to 93.55 per cent in 2023. CBIC has
also released a Customs Ease of Doing Business Compendium 2024 which details recent trade
facilitation initiatives of CBIC. Copy of compendium is available at
https://www.cbic.gov.in/entities/cbic-content-mst/NTE2.

2. In view of the objective of trade facilitation, transparency and efficiency in Customs processes,
CBIC has decided use of ICETAB for speedy examination of import consignments. In brief, ICETAB
is a mobile tablet device for use by Customs Officers for facilitating quick upload of the examination
report on the go in real time basis and making the examination process transparent and faster. ICETAB
contains an exclusive Mobile Application to enable examining officers to,-
(a) view RMS Instructions, Examination Order and Bill of Entry (BE) details along with
other supporting documents;
(b) capture upto four images of cargo examination for integration with the Bill of Entry
(c) submit examination report immediately on completion of the cargo examination thus
reducing the time taken in examination process and making the process seamless and
paperless.

3.
Customs cargo clearance is based on Risk Management System where on the basis of risk
associated, few consignments are intervened for assessment and examination. After assessment
procedure is complete, the assessed copy of Bill of Entry is electronically made available to importer/
Customs Broker for duty payment and prepare the cargo ready for examination by Customs officer. In
absence of holistic mobility coverage, Examining officers were relying on printed copy of assessed BE
for examination as it contains Examination Order and other instructions. With this launch of new
version of ICETAB from 23.08.2024, the examination order will be seamlessly available to Examining
officer on ICETAB. Accordingly, there will be no requirement for any paper documents for the purpose
of carrying out examination.

4.
Examining officer, on the basis of instructions already made available through ICETAB, will
have to take and upload four images of the cargo being examined. The images should cover key aspects
of examination. These images will also be integrated in e-Sanchit repository for subsequent viewing.
The examining officers should also upload the examination report immediately using the ICETAB.

5. A detailed advisory for the use of ICETABs will be issued by DG Systems. In cases of
exigencies where the report cannot be given using ICETAB, prior permission of concerned Assistant
Commissioner is required and same may be recorded in the examination report as well. The Pr.
Commissioner of Customs/ Commissioner of Customs having jurisdiction over the import shed, on
weekly basis, review the use of ICETABs and resolve any technical difficulty immediately in
consultation with DG Systems. The Commissioner of Customs shall ensure network connectivity for
efficient functioning of ICETABs.


6.
This Circular may be given wide publicity by issue of suitable Trade Notice/Public Notice. All
Stakeholders under your jurisdiction may be instructed suitably and officers may also be sensitized of
these changes. Any difficulty faced by stakeholders may be brought to notice of the Board.

Hindi Version follows.
Yours faithfully,



(Sanjeet Kumar)
Under Secretary to Government of India