The growth in the capacity of blast furnaces and coke ovens and the specifications of coke for blast furnaces in India and certain other countries are compared. The quality of coke produced currently in the coke ovens of the steel plants is analysed. In view of the plans to install high capacity (3 200 m**3) blast furnaces at the proposed new steel plant at Vishakapatnam, the necessity for producing coke of better quality, satisfying more stringent specifications is emphasized. Adoption of new techniques in the preparation of coal charge for coke making is suggested in order to improve the quality of coke.