Quality Circle concept was first introduced by BHEL, Ramachandrapuram Hyderabad in the year 1981 in India with the initiation of Mr. S.R. Udpa - GM-Operations. He received the needed support from senior management of BHEL headed by Mr. Madhav Rao. Mr. K.L. Puri, Chairman and Managing Director of BHEL also encouraged this concept by his active involvement.

Prof. V. Narayana of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) of Hyderabad too had knowledge about concept of Quality Circle and ISI, also had presentation material available on the concept. With the help of this material, programmes were conducted in various places and BHEL also rent support by sharing its experiences.

Dr.R.C.Agarwal, President, JK Jute Mills Ltd., initiated workers participation in management in 1977. In 1981 he heard about Quality Circles and got in touch with JUSE who directed him to Mr. S.R. Udpa. On his invitation Mr. S.R. Udpa twice visited Kanpur, out of which once with BHEL Quality Circle members. Then M/s JK Jute Mills Ltd., started the QC movement in 1982. Later on they, with the help of Asian Productivity Council invited Mr. Ichiro Miyayuchi of JUSE. Dr. Gaur Hari Singhania and Mr. Ramapati Singhania also took keen interest and with Miyayuchisan's training it was firmly institutionalised in M/s JK Synthetics Ltd. and M/s JK Jute Mills Ltd.

Dr. A. N. Saxena who was the Director General of National Productivity Council also got interested in the concept of Quality Circle and got associated with this movement. Thus Quality Circle movement started spreading in India in a small way but gradually expanded.

In fact, world over most of the countries became aware of this concept only in 80s, even though Japanese had been practicing it from the 1960s. Of course, South Korea and Taiwan introduced it much earlier with the help of Japan (1975).

Preamble :

Quality Circle Forum of India came into existence in April 1982, as a non-profit, non-political, national professional body with the purpose of creating an environment for active involvement and participation of employees in every area of human endeavour.

QCFI enlarges its scope to develop total quality people and to improve quality of life through the concepts and philosophy of quality with QC as an essential and integral total part. Quality encompasses all the existing and emerging concepts relevant to quality.

QCFI has a distinctive approach of total integrated development of all strata of people.

Shared Vision

Quality Circle Forum of India shall be a national centre for propagation of quality concepts and philosophy with special focus on Quality Circles for promoting material, human and spiritual level of people.

Mission :

• To impart training, knowledge and practice of Quality concepts and philosophy with special attention to Quality Circles in the organizations and enable people of our nation to face challenges and achieve success in this fierce competitive world.
• To disseminate, share and keep abreast in the knowledge of Quality concepts.
• To create Total Quality People.

Objectives :

• To be the National Organisation for promotion, propagation and advancement of the theory and practice of Quality Circles.
• To organise training and development programmes for Leaders, Facilitators and Employees.
• To improve, enrich and uplift the quality of work life and to provide opportunities for self-development.
• To cultivate and promote a high standard of moral ethics among its members.
• To be and always continue to be a non-profit, non-political, non-partisan and non-sectarian Forum.
• To act as central clearing house for Quality Circle and other Quality concepts related information.
• To serve as a common forum and platform for all those interested and engaged in the operation of Quality Circle and provide opportunities to discuss related matters with a view to sharing knowledge and experience by way of seminars, workshops, conference, publications, audio-visuals etc.
• To provide assistance to interested organizations and individuals to launch and operate Quality Circles / Quality Concepts.
• To engage in activities calculated to benefit and promote the welfare and well-being directly or indirectly of the members of the forum.
• To improve, enrich and uplift the Quality of work life and to provide opportunities for self-development of Quality Circle Members.
• To felicitate, recognize and encourage those who have contributed significantly to the achievement of the objectives of the Forum.
• To cultivate and promote a high standard of moral ethics among its members.
• To associate with other National and International organizations engaged in a similar pursuit in furthering the interest of Quality Circle other Quality concepts.
• To publish regular newsletters by chapters and central office for the benefit of its members.