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Development of Education System

Notes 13.3 National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)

National Assessment and Accreditation Council, an autonomous body, has been established by
the University Grants Commission 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. The prime mandate of NAAC,
as envisaged in its Memorandum of Association (MoA), is to assess and accredit institutions of
higher learning, universities and colleges or one or more of their units, i.e., departments,
schools, institutions, programmes, etc. The NAAC functions through its General Council and
Executive Committee where educational administrators, policy makers and senior academicians
from a cross-section of system of higher education are represented.
Under the new methodology introduced by NAAC w.e.f. 1st April, 2007, the higher education
institutions are assessed and accredited by a two-step approach. In the first step, the institution
is required to seek 'Institutional Eligibility for Quality Assessment (IEQA)' and the second step
is the assessment and accreditation of the institute under the grades 'A', 'B', 'C' for accredited
institutions; and 'D' for those which are not accredited. 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.
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is established by University Grants
Commission (UGC) to assess and accredit institution of higher learning in the country. The
NAAC was originally formed in 1992 as a result of recommendations from 'National Policy on
Education - 1986' which emphasizes on deteriorating quality of higher education in the country.
The NAAC has opened its office in Bangalore, Karnataka.
The higher education in India has grown at a rapid pace after independence. The country has
developed its educational resources in all spheres, be it primary education, secondary education,
higher education, technical or higher technical education or research. But the critics says that
the country has allowed mushrooming of private institutions offering fancy courses and hence
pushing the present and upcoming generation far from moral education. To address the issue
the 'National Policy on Education - 1986' and the Plan of Action (POA - 1992) stressed out the
need for strategic plans and advocated for the establishment of an independent national
accreditation body.
13.3.1 Structure and Working of NAAC

The Assessment and Accreditation council functions through its General Council (GC) and
Executive Committee (EC). Both the GC and EC are represented by educational administrators,
policy makers and senior academicians from a cross-section of the system of higher education.
The president of the GC is Chairperson of the UGC and the chairperson of the EC is an eminent
academician. The Director of the NAAC is its academic and administrative head, and is the
member-secretary of both the GC and EC. The Council also has many advisory and consultative
committees to guide its practices, in addition to the statutory bodies that steer its policies. The
NAAC has a core staff and consultants to support its activities. It also receives assistance from
a large number of external resources from all corners of the country.
13.3.2 Vision of the NAAC
The activities and future plans of the NAAC are guided by its vision and mission that focus on
making quality assurance an integral part of the functioning of higher education institutions.
The vision of the NAAC is : To make quality the defining element of higher education in India
through a combination of self and external quality evaluation, promotion and sustenance
initiatives.

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