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The Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the quality, testing, accreditation and skilling ecosystem in Bharat's leather and footwear sector.
According to the statement released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, "the collaboration aims to establish a structured framework for capacity building, certification, testing infrastructure development and quality ecosystem strengthening across key footwear clusters, including Agra, Bahadurgarh, Ranipet, Chennai, Calicut and Kanpur." Through this partnership, QCI and FDDI will jointly design and deliver need-based, outcome-oriented programmes for workers, MSMEs, supervisors, industry professionals and other stakeholders across the leather and footwear value chain. The initiative will focus on enhancing workforce skills, promoting personal certification, strengthening quality management practices, improving access to testing facilities and supporting laboratories in achieving accreditation, the statement added. As part of the collaboration, QCI will provide technical guidance on accreditation principles, quality management systems and relevant standards. It will also support awareness initiatives for MSMEs on quality, testing, accreditation and applicable government schemes, while contributing to the development of joint monitoring frameworks, research studies, white papers and case studies. FDDI will lead cluster-specific skilling and training programmes tailored to the requirements of different footwear hubs. It will also undertake mapping of testing and calibration laboratories, identify gaps in laboratory access, support the establishment of sample collection centres in underserved clusters and develop knowledge resources for industry stakeholders. The MoU also envisages the creation of a multi-level worker assessment and personal certification framework, including Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pathways for semi-skilled and experienced workers who possess industry-relevant skills but may lack formal educational qualifications. The MoU was signed by Secretary General, QCI, Chakravarthy T Kannan, and Managing Director, FDDI, Vivek Sharma (IRS), on behalf of their respective organisations. The partnership is expected to contribute to the broader national vision of building globally competitive, quality-driven and future-ready manufacturing ecosystems in Bharat, particularly for MSMEs and workers engaged in the leather and footwear sector. The Quality Council of India (QCI) is a premier autonomous body established by the Government of India. QCI promotes a culture of quality across products, services and processes that impact citizens' lives. As an independent institution, it facilitates credible third-party assessments through its constituent boards and divisions. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, serves as the nodal department for QCI. The Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, works in the areas of education, research, skill development, testing and certification for the leather and footwear sector. (ANI)
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