QCI may regulate private certification agencies to protect Brand India

livemint.com:

NEW DELHI : The Quality Council of India (QCI) is set to come out with regulations that will make it compulsory for private certification agencies to register themselves with accreditation bodies. The idea is to ensure accountability of these agencies so that ‘brand India’ does not suffer from indiscriminate certification by unregulated agencies. There are concerns that private agencies have been issuing ISO 9000 certificates without getting themselves registered with apex accreditation bodies.

ISO 9000 certificates are issued to firms and show that their goods and services meet international standards in quality management and assurance. The QCI’s draft regulations are now being examined by the ministry of commerce. As per the draft, every accreditation agency will have to get registered with the QCI and its affiliates and maintain their certification data, said QCI secretary general Rajesh Maheshwari.

QCI is an autonomous organization of the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) in the commerce ministry. Mushrooming private accreditation agencies, including some foreign ones, are causing concern, said Maheshwari. There are instances of fake certificates being issued that tarnish the image of Brand India and business loss.

As of now, the QCI has no statutory powers but once the rules are approved, the secretary general said, the QCI will be able to regulate certification agencies operating in India. “QCI is accredited by the government as a national body, although we don’t have regulations," he said. “The proposed set of regulations is aimed at making certification agencies accountable and making them responsible.