V.S. Prasad

HYDERABAD: Assessment and accreditation of all higher education institutions in the country is likely to be made mandatory as against the present policy of voluntary evaluation done by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

NAAC Director V.S. Prasad told The Hindu that they had written to the University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) recommending mandatory assessment of all institutions in the interests of students. The Ministry is working out the administrative and legal aspects of the issue and a decision would be taken soon.

He said 3,200 colleges out of the 17,000-odd colleges have been accredited by the NAAC so far. He felt that Government colleges and aided colleges were not keen on seeking accreditation. With fewer funds for improving infrastructure and nearly 40 per cent teaching vacancies their plight could be understood.

Dr. Prasad also indicated that the assessment policy would be in for an overhaul in the XI plan. "We like to reformulate our methodologies and make them more relevant and applicable," he said. Moreover, NAAC would also stress on improving internal mechanism of assessment in every institution. Once these issues take shape a more practical approach of assessment would emerge.

Officials say the Government also plans to make NAAC a statutory body so that private institutions, which are currently outside the system, are also brought under its ambit. NAAC is currently an autonomous body established by the UGC for upholding the quality of higher education.

Parameters

Every institution that seeks accreditation is assessed based on parameters like curricular aspects, teaching-learning and evaluation, research, infrastructure and learning resources, student support, consultancy, organisation and management and healthy practices. Under the present system, the institution has to submit a self-study report to be validated by the NAAC. A peer team consisting of senior academics from different universities will later make an onsite visit and assess the institution based on the self-study report.

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