Quality Council of India was set up in 1997 jointly by the Government of India and Indian Industry represented by the three premier industry associations viz. 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. The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), 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 the areas of quality, environment, food safety etc. National Quality Campaign aims at promoting quality 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.