National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)

About National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)

• It is an autonomous body of the University Grants Commission (UGC), under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
• It was established in 1994 in pursuance of the recommendations made by the National Policy of Education, 1986, and the Programme of Action (POA), 1992, which lay special emphasis on evaluating the quality of higher education in India.
• Head Quarter: Bengaluru.
• Function: Evaluation, assessment, and accreditation of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the country. 
• Assessment is a performance evaluation of an institution and its units and is accomplished through a process based on self-study and peer review using defined criteria.
• Accreditation refers to the certification given by NAAC, which is valid for a period of five years.
• The ratings of institutions range from A++ to C. If an institution is graded D, it means it is not accredited.
• Eligibility Criteria: HEIs with a record of at least two batches of students graduated or been in existence for six years, whichever is earlier, are eligible to apply for the process of Assessment and Accreditation (A&A) of NAAC, and fulfill all the specified conditions.
• At present, the Assessment and Accreditation by NAAC is done on a voluntary basis.
• NAAC has identified seven criteria: i. Curricular aspects, ii. Teaching-learning and evaluation, iii. Research, Consultancy and extension, iv. Infrastructure and learning resources, v. Student support and progression, vi. Governance and leadership and vii. Innovative practices as the basis for its assessment procedure.
• Composition:
  • It functions through its General Council (GC) and Executive Committee (EC), comprising educational administrators, policymakers, and senior academicians from a cross-section of the Indian higher education system.
  • The Chairperson of the UGC is the President of the GC of the NAAC.
  • The Chairperson of the EC is an eminent academician nominated by the President of the GC (NAAC).
  • The Director is the academic and administrative head of NAAC and is the member-secretary of both the GC and the EC.
  • NAAC is advised by the advisory and consultative committees constituted from time to time.

Q1) What is the University Grants Commission (UGC)?

The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory body under the provisions of UGC Act, 1956. It is responsible for coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education. It provides recognition to universities in India, and disburses funds to such recognized universities and colleges. Nodal Ministry: Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education

Source: NAAC’S accreditation system needs change to be creditable