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CII sets up Institute of Quality in Bangalore for benchmarking

Fakir Chand in Bangalore

The Confederation of Indian Industry has set up its Institute of Quality on the outskirts of Bangalore to improve the global competitiveness of the Indian industry and other key sectors of the economy, which have an impact on the country's growth.

To be known also as the Center of Excellence, the first of its kind IQ will provide training on all aspects of competitiveness.

Sponsored by ABB Ltd, the institute's programmes will address the needs of the manufacturing and services sectors, the IT/software industry, and the world of education, and governance.

"CII will also be setting up three more similar CoEs in Bombay, Calcutta, and Delhi in the near future to provide world class training and HRD inputs to all sectors of the Indian economy. The vision is to turn these IQs into international Centers of Excellence," claimed CII's newly elected president Sanjiv Goenka in Bangalore on Wednesday during its formal opening.

With quality in all aspects becoming a benchmark to face the onslaught of global competition, the IQ boasts of a proven system, infrastructure, and methodology for effective pre-programme, programme, and post-programme delivery.

"The IQ has the capability as well as the experience to develop and improve its curriculum and design innovative products to meet the needs of the industry and other target segments," ABB chairman K N Shenoy, who is also the institute's chairman, stated in his remarks.

Globalisation and integration of the country's economy with that of the world have ushered in an era of international benchmarks for assessing business performance.

"These benchmarks have introduced India to new global standards pertaining to quality, which has now come to mean more than just efficient technology, and encompass parameters like environment management and energy efficiency, knowledge quotient, and intellectual capital," Shenoy averred.

Delivering the inaugural address, Union Power Minister Suresh Prabhu told the CII to institute quality awards for benchmarking the efforts of the Indian industry in achieving world-class quality standards.

"CII will also have to set up quality rating agency to certify the rating of companies, be they in the manufacturing, processing, or services sectors, in conforming to the quality benchmarks," Prabhu stated.

Referring to the ongoing reforms in the power sector, Prabhu said even all the power utilities, including state-owned corporations would be asked to go for ISO 9,000 and ISO 14,000 certifications to become globally competitive by introducing the best business management practices.

"Eventually, the various state electricity boards will have to get quality certification if they have to become competitive. There is an urgent need for spreading the quality culture across the board. One of the steps being contemplated by the government is to make it mandatory for companies, private or public for measuring up to the quality benchmarks."

The concept of quality should be extended to the entire life. The gamut of quality conscious should include governance, education, healthcare, basic amenities and services.

Earlier, in his keynote address, Indian Space Research Organization chairman Dr K Kasturirangan stressed on the need to cultivate a quality culture across the board to bring about a radical change in work ethics.

Referring to the stringent quality standards set as benchmark by ISRO, Dr Kasturirangan recalled the secret of success behind the recently launched GSLV project. "Quality is a commitment that will enable every activity translate into perfection," he added.

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