India preens itself for the largest and most diversified education system in the world. Over the years, we saw significant growth in the introduction, widespread expansion, privatisation, and increased autonomy of higher educational institutions. However, with the rapid increase in the number of HEIs and educational programmes, there was also a concern for the quality, relevance, and performance of institutions & courses.
To resolve the issue and improve the quality of education, the National Policy on Education
(NPE, 1986) and the Programme of Action (PoA, 1992) recommended the establishment of an independent national accreditation body. Hence, introducing the National Assessment and Accreditation Council NAAC in 1994, an autonomous committee under the UGC that assesses and accredits educational institutions across India.
NAAC accreditation ensures that quality is the key element of higher education institutions in India and motivates them to build a strong culture for students. It combines self & external quality evaluation, sustenance, and promotion initiatives to achieve its goals.
The UGC issued a notification on Jan 19, 2013, that mandates every higher educational institution to undergo the accreditation process and seek NAAC approval.
NAAC Accreditation and PARAMARSH Scheme
In 2019, University Grant Commission (UGC) established a PARAMARSH Scheme which will create a mechanism to encourage aspirant colleges and educational institutions to become NAAC accredited and promote quality assurance in higher education.
This new scheme will operate through a ‘Hub and Spoke Model.’ The mentor institution is referred to as Hub, a centralised body that will be responsible for guiding the mentee institution through its secondary branches. Hub can also be a team of experts coming together from multiple domains and resources. The additional services offered to mentee institutes for self-improvement are called Spoke.
Under the PARAMARH Scheme, a well-performing HEI helps unaccredited institutes to enhance their quality and puts in additional efforts to promote quality assurance in higher education. Therefore, as a recognition to offer its services, the institute is rewarded by adding weightage to its NIRF ranking and NAAC accreditation. It will also be honoured as a ‘Mentor Institution.’
One key rule introduced by the UGC to ensure quality is that HEIs must attain at least 2.5 in their NAAC score by 2022.
The PARAMARSH scheme will be communicated to institutes through IQAC of mentor institutions, supervised by an Accreditation Ambassador, an eminent academician with insight into the accreditation process.
Conclusion
The establishment of NAAC in the education domain has been a remarkable step by UGC. It encourages HEIs and colleges to focus on the quality of education and be relevant in the industry. NAAC accreditation certainly adds credibility to programmes offered by the institutions and paves more opportunities for students.
CollPoll offers an AI-based platform to help colleges and educational institutions understand the requirements for NAAC accreditation and prepare for it by providing critical insights. Its different modules ensure that your college achieves excellence across academic and non-academic aspects.
Whether you want to discuss your project or seek more information about our services, feel free to connect with our team via call or email. We look forward to serving you!
