Towards Total Quality-Some Small Steps Taken by Nehru College of Engineering and Research Centre, Pampady, Kerala

Quality is customer satisfaction, whereas Total Quality is customer delight. In an engineering education system the product is graduating students. Their quality is based on the quantum and quality of their knowledge, skills and attitude, which will be gainfully used for the benefit of mankind. This in tum very much depends upon the way in which, proper systems are put in place in the college to manage the quality. Total Quality Management is a very long journey. Some essential ingredients for managing Total Quality are effective communication, measuring performance regularly, responsiveness, empathy, total involvement, continuous training and rewards&punishments. The Nehru College of Engineering and Research Centre, a young self-financing Engineering college in Kerala has taken some small, but sure and steady steps to incorporate the above facets in their operations, so that they are on the right path to achieve Total Quality. These are explained in detail in this paper. It is expected that the continuous practice of the above principles and proper refinements of the same from time to time, will induce a quality (culture in everyone which will result in doing every thing right the first time and every time.