Actually from my experience with offshore companies, they often provide more certified developers and architects and they use this number or ration as a selling point. Sadly I cannot point to any source or statistic to support this.
Didn't Microsoft used to use a "quota" system for their certification, too?
They determined how many people, per country, they would allow to be certified, and if too many got the passing mark, the raised the requirement "appropriately" for following exam-takers; but not based on bell-curve stat's, etc, etc.