Standardisation, Testing and Quality Control Programme of the Department of Electronics

Abstract

For any developing country, increasing industrial productivity is one of the important ways for expeditious economic development. Increased productivity is achievable only through manufacturing products with built-in quality and reliability and following stringent quality control/assurance procedures in normal production. Quality is cost effective and not cost intensive. To help the Indian manufacturers in improving quality and reliability of their electronic products, the Government of India has set up a Directorate General of Standardisation, Testing and Quality Control (STQC) in the Department of Electronics. A chain of Test and Calibration laboratories has been established (for providing calibration, testing and development support services) under the STQC Directorate for implementation of various STQC) programmes. A number of steps/initiatives have been/are being taken by the STQC Directorate with the ultimate objective of availability of goods at international quality and near international cost. This will lead to increased consumer confidence/satisfaction and will also result in increased exports of Indian electronic products in addition to increased productivity of the Indian manufacturers all leading to increased electronic activity in the country and thereby also resulting in increased productivity in other sectors of economy because of diverse applications of electronics in these areas. Details of the various programmes already initiated, their achievements (in terms of inculcating the quality culture, upgradation of quality and reliability through testing and analysis, attracting additional investments (through standardisation), using cost effective techniques, thereby resulting in a solid base for future growth, as well as providing adequate calibration support) and future programmes are briefly discussed in this paper.