The controversy over NAAC’s system for assessing higher education | Explained News,The Indian Express
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council courted controversy recently over the ratings of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, which changed from A to A+. What is NAAC, and how is the accreditation process carried out? What is the recent controversy about?
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HomeExplainedThe controversy over NAAC's system for assessing higher education
The controversy over NAAC’s system for assessing higher education
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council courted controversy recently over the ratings of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, which changed from A to A+. What is NAAC, and how is the accreditation process carried out? What is the recent controversy about?
Written by Sourav Roy Barman
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New Delhi | Updated: September 20, 2022 12:29:37 pm
Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (Source: msubaroda.ac.in)The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which carries out quality checks or assessments of Indian Higher-level Educational Institutions (HEIs), courted controversy recently over the rating of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and allegations of bribery in the process.
When the NAAC released the ratings, the institute’s score changed from A to A+ on the back of improvement across parameters. The allegations have surfaced at a time when the NAAC is exploring changes in its approach.
The NAAC, an autonomous body under the University Grants Commission (UGC), assesses and certifies HEIs with gradings as part of accreditation. Through a multi-layered process, a higher education institution learns whether it meets the standards of quality set by the evaluator in terms of curriculum, faculty, infrastructure, research, and other parameters. The ratings of institutions range from A++ to C. If an institution is graded D, it means it is not accredited.
In a recently-published white paper, co-authored by NAAC executive committee chairman Bhushan Patwardhan and former Indian Institute of Science Education and Research professor KP Mohanan, the current approach has been described as “input-based”. In other words, NAAC relies heavily on self-assessment reports of applicant institutions.
The first step has an applicant institution submitting a self-study report of information related to quantitative and qualitative metrics. The data is then validated by NAAC expert teams, followed by peer team visits to the institutions. This last step has sparked controversy.
Rating: 5