The average Indian has absolutely no drive to be professional. An unhealthy work ethic has seeped into all sections of society. A quality as simple as reaching a place on time, is missing in the Indian mindset. Indians are notorious for their habit of littering in public spaces. Both these traits have their origins in the lack of quality-awareness at a personal level.

1. Quality-Awareness in daily life
G Raj Narayan
@GRajNarayan
www.grajnarayan.com
Founder and managing director Radel Group &
Chief mentor Drona School of Engineering Practice

2. The average Indian has absolutely no drive to be professional. An unhealthy work
ethic has seeped into all sections of society. A quality as simple as reaching a
place on time, is missing in the Indian mindset. Indians are notorious for their
habit of littering in public spaces. Both these traits have their origins in the lack of
quality-awareness at a personal level.
A shift in attitude must begin at homes and schools. Awareness of quality in
everyday activities has to be indoctrinated right from the primary school stage,
strengthened by a 360 degree quality-awareness. A child must grow up witnessing
the need for quality consciousness in every aspect of life – even in the way one
behaves and responds to situations and in the manner of presenting oneself. There
must be a sense of pride in every activity that the child performs. Whether the
grows up to be an artist or an engineer, a doctor or a teacher, quality
consciousness must be incorporated in daily activities – and thus spread in the
larger Indian work ethic.
Where do we start? Let us look around us to see the situation on the ground.
A boy accompanies his mother to the market. His mother carries a garbage bag to
throw in the public bin. She throws the plastic on a heap of garbage right next to
the empty bin. She does not perceive that this action contributes to a lack of
quality in her surroundings. Below a board that says ‘Do not urinate’, the young
boy sees a man urinating, without a thought for the impact on cleanliness and
hygiene, and therefore, on quality of life.
At the market, he sees his mother compromise on quality of essential goods for
cheaper prices. He watches them use foul language to arrive at a bargained price -
showing a lack of quality in speech. He sees her jump queues to pay her bills and
violate traffic rules to get home faster, and effectively casting ‘quality of civilised
society’ by the roadside. Most children, urban or rural, grow up witnessing such
situations every day. Children imbibe this careless attitude which negates the
concept of quality in everyday life, and believe that it is acceptable to live in such
a manner. They grow up having the same attitude both at home and workplace –
an attitude that his parents, neighbours and society have taught him as being good
enough to survive.
www.grajnarayan.com

3. This is how the child learns to compromise on the quality of a small everyday
activity. He detaches himself from the implications of his actions on the society.
He does not take responsibility for the disruption he brings to the society and
therefore to the quality of his own, personal life.
When the individual, as a citizen and a part of the workforce, is unaware of the
importance of quality in every action in daily life, and cannot see that dirty
surroundings, badly maintained buildings, lack of civic sense or road discipline
etc. reflect a lack of quality, he / she cannot perceive the difference between good
and bad quality in a product.
A poor quality item should ideally make the customer protest and demand good
quality. But in India, the customer does not see the need for quality as there is no
awareness of good and bad quality. The manufacturer too sees no necessity for
producing a good product or maintenance and service of the product. Since the
problem has a social origin, the change in attitude must be societal. Quality
awareness, therefore, needs to be inculcated across all sections of society, from
children in primary school to the entire adult population.
Whether it is the home-maker maintaining every nook and corner of the home spic
and span; the office worker being meticulous in work and keeping his desk and
surroundings neat; every plumber, electrician, carpenter and mason being
particular that his work is perfect - this awareness of quality should be cultivated
and propagated on a war-footing. Only then can India not only be equal to, but
overtake other countries and be admired for the Made in India quality.
www.grajnarayan.com