Close on the heels of the US and European backlash on outsourcing of services, the International Organisation for Standardisation has mooted setting up more quality standards on information technology including some on call centres and movement of people.

India, however, is lukewarm to the proposal, given the sensitive and controversial nature of the subject.

Outsourcing and India: Complete Coverage 

"We need to initiate formation of international standards on call centres given the fact that these have become a major source of business all over the world," ISO Secretary-General Alan Bryden said in New Delhi.

"Security services including tracking the movement of people too have to be standardised," he added,

India, being a leader in the call centre business, would definitely not like to be a follower in framing these standards, he said.

However, Nirmal Singh, director general, Bureau of Indian Standards, said the issue is very sensitive and "we have so far not committed to anything".

Once specific ISO standards are fixed, they will be used as a benchmark for quality of services provided and also linked to pay scales. So far the IT and call centre industry has been allowed to develop without linking them to any standardisation, he added.