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As Quality has moved from Quality Control to Quality Assurance to Quality Management, and Safety became a separate discipline by itself, a number of actors and terms have entered the scene

As Quality has moved from Quality Control to Quality Assurance to Quality Management, and Safety became a separate discipline by itself, a number of actors and terms have entered the scene – Standards Development, Technical Regulations, Metrology, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation etc.

In order to meet the challenges and expectations in the market, it is recognized now that each country needs to have suitably competent institutions in place. Standards Development came first – IEC started way back in 1906; ISO came up in 1946. National Standards bodies came up – Labs came up for Product Testing – Inspections and then Certifications came up. In order to assure accurate measurements, Metrology developed. Not necessarily in that order. While Regulations on grounds of Health and Safety have a long history – especially in Food and Drugs, the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures brought the concept of Technical Regulations and SPS measures in sharper focus.

All these developments led to coining of an expression – National Quality Infrastructure  or just Quality Infrastructure – which is broadly defined as comprising of Standards Development, Metrology, Conformity Assessment and Accreditation. In fact this is the definition which has been promoted by UNIDO and now accepted even by IAF/ILAC/ISO.

Please see link for what UNIDO says :

https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/2016-05/UNIDO_Quality_system_0.pdf

IEC’s position is available at link :

https://blog.iec.ch/2018/12/building-quality-infrastructure/

This reflects the consensus among relevant International Bodies.

However, my personal experience showed that if Industry had to be built upto International Standards and Regulations, it needed help and handholding. Even Quality related institutions like Labs, Inspection bodies, even Accreditation bodies needed help and handholding.

I remember that Bangladesh set up an Accreditation body which started Accreditation scheme for Labs but there were no Labs to accredit. The Labs needed handholding but the Accreditation body could not provide that as per International norms and there was no one else to provide help. The then DG of BAB flew down to Kolkata, persuaded a Consultant to come to Bangladesh and help labs.

It drove home to me an important point – that Consulting is a vital element of Quality Infrastructure – Industry needs Consultants, Labs need Consultants, even new Accreditation bodies need Consultants.

Therefore, when the Department of Commerce decided to draft an Indian National Strategy for Standardization (INSS), which started by focusing on the typical elements of Quality Infrastructure, I argued for the inclusion of Consulting and Training as a pillar by itself and thankfully it was accepted.

Please see INSS at link: https://commerce.gov.in/writereaddata/uploadedfile/MOC_636655449469105249_INSS_Booklet_2018.pdf

The Goal 2 on page 22 of the document is devoted to Consulting and Training.

Having found a place in India’s Policy document, it is upto the community of Consultants and Trainers to 0rganize themselves and be heard not only in National Platforms but Internationally too.

I find that in International bodies like ISO, IEC, IAF and ILAC, associations of Labs, Inspection and Certification bodies play an important role – they have strong voices and influence may decisions. The Consultants, as an organized body, are not present. They are a vital resource to get feedback of the industry besides their own experiences in implementing Standards and facing Audits.

As CCC , Consultants Consortium of Chennai, makes its debut in the market, my hope is that it would step up to play the role of Voice of Consultants in First National and then International platforms. No one would be more delighted than me to see Indian Consulting community shine in the International arena with its wealth of Knowledge and experience.

I Congratulate the Leaders of CCC for having created CCC and wish its Members all the best.

About Mr Anil Jauhri :

  • M Tech Civil Engineering – IIT, Kanpur
  • Former CEO , NABCB – National Accreditation Board for Certification bodies for 6 ½ years

–       CDM Accreditation Panel Member at UNFCCC for12 years

–       Member, Yoga Certification Board, Ministry of AYUSH

  • Adviser, NABCB, Quality Council of India for 4 years
  • Director, NABCB for 3 years

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Mr. Anil Jauhri