Quality Council of India (QCI) was set up in 1997 jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry represented by the three premier industry associations i.e. Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), to establish and operate national accreditation structure and promote quality through National Quality Campaign. QCI is registered as not-for-profit society with its own Memorandum of Association and Rules & Regulations. The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is the nodal ministry for QCI. Accreditation facilitates international trade by way of establishing equivalence and global acceptance of certification, inspection and testing being undertaken by various conformity assessment bodies, in areas of quality, environment, food safety etc. National Quality Campaign aims at promoting quality by enabling manufacturers and suppliers of goods/ services to apply quality standards and tools and simultaneously empowering consumers to demand quality goods/services. The promotion of quality encompasses all segments including manufacturing, health, education and public services.