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In India today, industry from manufacturing sector leads the practice of quality management in its many forms, usually some combinations of the ISO quality management system, Total Quality Management (TQM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Toyota Production System (TPS, or Lean) and the American Six Sigma.

India today has the power to provide leadership to the world in quality. We are in a position to influence the direction quality will take, instead of just absorbing whatever happens elsewhere in the world.  India can play an important role only and only if we unite and function as one.

However, many sectors of industry itself not to mention many services, healthcare, education, the social sector and government lag behind in functioning to their potential. This requires voluntary contribution from hundreds of thousands of quality professionals from all parts of the country. QCI is mandate to play this role.

So, there is a need to strengthen the structure of quality propagation for building sustained effectiveness in pursuing National Quality Campaign

Japan, USA and Europe appear to have effective structures to disseminate quality management. Each has some uniqueness. In India, QCI is mandated to play this role. It needs to be restructured to provide opportunity for quality professionals in their respective endeavor of work in their respective geographic area of operation. This should involve those organizations that are already making useful contribution be it industry bodies or organizations of quality professionals. It would be a unique experiment, but one which we need to implement with courage and foresight.

Hence the thought of restructuring QCI particularly NBQP in a way to provide participation of various organizations doing similar work and many individuals who can make useful contribution. While QCI has done an exceptional work thus far it needs to widen its scope of participation in quality promotion that is its primary role and that needs involvement of large number of people from all over the country.

Mission of QCI is to make nationwide quality a reality. To achieve the mission, QCI need to play an integrating role such that institutions exist to propagate quality in all dimensions and apply it to all sectors.

In fact, as most of the current quality organizations are focused on industry and as the largest gaps are in government, healthcare and education, a good balance is required in the functioning of QCI. The experience of the industry is valuable and should be channelised into other sectors. Also, dimensions such as research and publications need attention if quality is to be developed holistically.

Given this, the QCI need to aggressively take up the following;

1. Inform: Make periodic report cards to the nation on the status of quality, and operate a national citizen and customer satisfaction index.
2. Provide advice to Government: Inform and advise government and regulatory agencies on quality related matters.
3. Represent India with a unified face in international forums and take a leading role.
4. Lead in creating new roles for quality: like the eco-restoration of the earth and related areas.
5. Research and Academics: Enable research as well as academic courses on quality.
6. Publish magazines, journals and books.
7. Accreditation: Establish and operate national accreditation programmes to institutionalize the quality practice in manufacturing and service sectors.
8. Conventions: Hold conventions and exhibitions joining up with its members.
9. Awards: Present awards to outstanding individuals for quality related practice or research in all sectors, and/or develop uniquely Indian awards
10. New Institutions: Form joint venture institutions to promote quality in government, healthcare, education and social sector.
11. ANQ Headquarters: In addition, the restructuring of QCI would make it possible to make a strong bid to have the permanent headquarters of the Asian Network for Quality in India, operated by QCI. This will bring India to the centre-stage of quality activities in Asia

Also, by bringing quality to a more central position in the thinking of Government and industry leaders QCI should help reorient business education towards quality based business management.
 
QCI should be restructured to include other industry organizations that are doing useful work in propagation of quality management like IMC, NASSCOM, ACMA and others. It should also include the organizations of quality professionals doing outstanding work in this field like ISQ, NIQR, QCFI, and NCQM etc.

Large organizations that have excelled in quality management and acquired a huge body of knowledge in this field should also be included. In times to come, additional primary members (from industry bodies) and members such as Institution of Engineers should be requested to join QCI, so that it becomes a truly representative body. We also need to provide for individuals to become members of the NBQP so that they can have unique identity and motivation for making contribution

In order to ensure proper representation from the member bodies a criterion for membership and nomination by members should be established. All members should make membership fee contribution to demonstrate their commitment to the purpose and the objective of QCI. These two steps are essential to improve the effectiveness of QCI operations.

Proposed re-constituted membership of QCI and NBQP

• It is proposed to invite sector specific associations from manufacturing as well as from service sectors as members of council. Similarly the bodies of quality professionals would be invited to be part of the council. Presently there are 10-members from the government. It is proposed to include two more members including Ministry of Health and Family welfare and National Physical Laboratory.
• NBQP board similarly will have representation from sector specific associations, bodies of quality professionals beside the existing membership from government, apex industry federations and consumer organizations.
• The board will initiate action to have Divisions, Forums, Chapters and committees for widespread involvement of all stake holders on the basis of sect oral as well as regional needs.
• The board will evolve appropriate membership schemes at organizational and at individual level for divisions/forums/chapters, including fixing of fee and other terms and conditions.