Quality Control:

Standards and standardisation, quality systems, certification and inspections, measurement systems, testing laboratories, their accreditation and calibration services, production and supply of standard reference materials, etc., are all important building blocks. Quality control through the agency of the Export Inspection Council leaves much to be desired. It is often alleged that EIA is actually playing a retrograde role, although inadvertently. This needs to be corrected. (i) The list of items subject to compulsory export inspection needs be reviewed and shortened. A trimmer EIA list is essential for a modicum of efficiency. (ii) EIA should use international agencies to train people and update the equipment available for those limited items. (iii) The quality development process need be professionalised by making use of proven quality development skills and managerial methods available around the world. Overall, pre-export inspection needs to be greatly simplified, both in the interests of speedier clearance and less harassment of the exporter as well as better administration.