Quality Council of India (QCI)

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance.

Why in News?

Minister of State for Commerce and Industry recently inaugurated the new unified headquarters of the Quality Council of India (QCI) at the World Trade Centre in New Delhi.

• It is a non-profit autonomous organization registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.
• Established in - 1997 through a collaboration between the Government of India and the Indian Industry.
• It is represented by three leading industry associations
  • Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM),
  • Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and
  • Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
• Nodal Ministry - The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) within the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• QCI serves as the national accreditation body.
• Aim - It was created to establish a framework for independent third-party evaluations of products, services, and processes.
• QCI also encourages the adoption of quality standards related to
  • Quality Management Systems (ISO 14001 Series),
  • Food Safety Management Systems (ISO 22000 Series), and
  • Product Certification and Inspection Bodies through the accreditation services offered by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).
• QCI plays a crucial role at the national level in promoting, adopting, and ensuring compliance with quality standards across all significant areas of activity.
• It spearheads a nationwide quality initiative through the National Quality Campaign.
• Members - The council consists of 38 members, ensuring equal representation from the Government, Industries, and other stakeholders.
• Boards under QCI
  • National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL)
  • National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH)
  • National Accreditation Board for Education & Training (NABET)
  • National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB)
  • National Board for Quality Promotion (NBQP).

Reference

News on Air | Quality Council of India