| NAAC EXERCISES | | | | programmes, unless and until any such initiative is |
| Dr.Jawahar Lal Sen | | | | adopted by the affiliating university. |
| National assessment and Accreditation Council | | | | 6. Candidates qualified: NET/SLET/GATE etc. |
| (NAAC) is an autonomous institution constituted | | | | |
| by the University Grants Commission | | | | How this is going to improve the quality of |
| (India)‘To make quality the defining element | | | | teaching in the college ? Most probably the |
| of higher education in India through a combination | | | | target group of NAAC here is those teachers |
| of self and external quality evaluation,promotion | | | | who had been appointed violating the prescribed |
| and sustenance initiatives’. | | | | UGC norms and if it is so we must say that this |
| The revised guidelines for the creation of the | | | | is most confusing. |
| Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) contains | | | | 8. Total number of seminars/workshops |
| following expressed mission of NAAC with a | | | | conducted: |
| view to achieving the above mentioned | | | | 9. Research projects a) Newly implemented:b) |
| ‘Vision’. | | | | Completed: |
| ‘MISSIONk To arrange for periodic | | | | 10. Patents generated, if any: |
| assessment and accreditation ofinstitutions of | | | | |
| higher education or units thereof, or | | | | Is not funny to expect a general college to |
| specificacademic programmes or projects;k To | | | | generate patents ? This may be expected from |
| stimulate the academic environment for | | | | some highly specialised institutions but cannot be |
| promotion of qualityof teaching-learning and | | | | or should not be marked as a so called ‘KEY |
| research in higher educationinstitutions;k To | | | | RESULT AREA’ for general degree colleges. |
| encourage self-evaluation, accountability, | | | | Seminars and workshops simply spoil or consume |
| autonomy andinnovations in higher education;k To | | | | valuable class periods which could otherwise have |
| undertake quality-related research studies, | | | | been used for teaching learning and evaluation |
| consultancy andtraining programmes, andk To | | | | exercises .The college students lose their valuable |
| collaborate with other stakeholders of higher | | | | class periods for allowing their teachers time for |
| education forquality evaluation, promotion and | | | | preparation of their research papers from which |
| sustenance.’ | | | | except the teacher-author none other is |
| | | | | benefited. In the similar way the research |
| | | | | projects may help the teachers in achieving higher |
| The basic purpose and the tasks of the IQAC | | | | grade with better pay packet but the students, |
| had also been defined in the revised guidelines as | | | | for whom he/she is appointed will be grossly |
| quoted below | | | | deprived from his legitimate due that is regular |
| ‘The basic purposes of the IQAC are:a) To | | | | teaching. During my tenure as Principal in our |
| ensure continuous improvement in the entire | | | | college 60% of the faculty members obtained |
| operations of theinstitution, andb) To assure | | | | either Ph.D, or M.Phil and almost cent per cent |
| stakeholders connected with higher education | | | | attended seminars. But that has not been |
| – namely, students,parents, teachers, staff, | | | | reflected in the so called quality assurance or |
| would-be employers, funding agencies and | | | | overall performances of the students. Can a Ph.D |
| societyin general - of the accountability of the | | | | holder with a third division at the entry level of |
| institution for its own quality and probity. | | | | higher education and 55% marks in Masters |
| | | | | Degree be a better teacher than a simple |
| The IQAC will evolve mechanisms and procedures | | | | candidate who secured first class throughout |
| for ensuring thefollowing:a) Timely, efficient and | | | | his academic career ? |
| progressive performance of academic, | | | | During my university days none of my teachers, |
| administrativeand financial tasks.b) The relevance | | | | except one was Ph.D holder. But as a student I |
| and quality of academic and research | | | | could not notice any difference in their capability |
| programmes.c) Equitable access to and | | | | of teaching. In my case also, I cannot claim that I |
| affordability of academic programmes for | | | | had been transformed into a better teacher after |
| varioussections of society.d) Optimization and | | | | obtaining Ph.D. in nineties. Atleast my English |
| integration of modern methods of teaching and | | | | remained equally bad, knowledge of economics |
| learning.e) The credibility of evaluation | | | | required for teaching in under graduate classes |
| procedures.f) The adequacy, maintenance and | | | | also did not get richer. |
| proper allocation of support structure | | | | 11. New collaborative research programmes |
| andservices.g) Research sharing and networking | | | | 12. Research grants received from various |
| with other institutions in India andabroad.’ | | | | agencies: |
| | | | | 13. Details of research scholars: |
| | | | | 14. Citation index of faculty members and impact |
| The NAAC has also discussed at length the | | | | factor: |
| composition of IQAC, operational features of the | | | | |
| IQAC and the functions of the IQAC. These had | | | | Let Lord Infant Jesus save innocent |
| been done in very clear language, without any | | | | undergraduate students. Is there anyone outside |
| ambiguity and with professional acumen. We also | | | | NAAC or UGC who will be able to establish a link |
| believe that if those operational features and | | | | between these four Key Areas and teaching in |
| functions are translated into practice, no force | | | | undergraduate classes ? All such research |
| on the earth will be able to retard the growth of | | | | activities will be futile exercises if these are not |
| higher education in India. | | | | undertaken for the entry level tender aged under |
| So far so good. But the only important question | | | | graduate students. The educational environment |
| is for whom all these exercises are being | | | | of general colleges and universities differ |
| undertaken? Which is the target group? The | | | | widely.This simple fact should be understood by |
| answer is plain and simple - Students. | | | | the NAAC authority. |
| Students belong to various categories, namely, | | | | There are 41 such key areas and the |
| college students, university students, students of | | | | institution will be assessed on the basis of its |
| medical colleges, technical institutes, students | | | | performance in these areas. In our opinion |
| belonging to management studies and similar other | | | | except |
| various branches. The problems of each category | | | | ‘22. New books/journals subscribed and their |
| requires specialized attention as each category | | | | value: |
| has got its own issues, own problems and hence | | | | 23. Courses in which student assessment of |
| there cannot be any common policy prescription | | | | teachers is introduced andthe action taken on |
| for all. | | | | student feedback: |
| Even the problems of colleges and universities | | | | 25. Computerization of administration and the |
| working with the same type of students are | | | | process of admissions 26. Increase in the |
| widely different, a fact which have been | | | | infrastructural facilities: |
| overlooked by UGC and NAAC in a most | | | | 27. Technology upgradation: |
| unfortunate manner. The eminent persons at top | | | | 28. Computer and internet access and training to |
| level of UGC and NAAC could not do justice to | | | | teachers and students: |
| their eminence in this regard. We will however | | | | 29. Financial aid to students: |
| concentrate on NAAC for the time being and will | | | | 30. Activities and support from the Alumni |
| show the shortcomings of UGC on some other | | | | Association: |
| occasion. | | | | 31 Activities and support from the |
| Let us go directly to the Part B of the Annual | | | | Parent-Teacher Association: |
| Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) of IQAC. | | | | 32. Health services: |
| 2. New academic programmes initiated (UG and | | | | 33. Performance in sports activities: |
| PG): | | | | 34. Incentives to outstanding sportspersons: |
| | | | | 35. Student achievements and awards: |
| Can affiliated colleges initiate new programmes ? | | | | 36. Activities of the Guidance and Counselling |
| No they cannot. It is the absolute jurisdiction of | | | | unit:’ |
| the affiliating University. The NAAC authority may | | | | No other so called key areas are going to benefit |
| have their own explanations but poor Principals | | | | the students. These benefits are also mostly |
| do not have any answer. | | | | indirect. The NAAC authority should understand |
| 3. Innovations in curricular design and transaction: | | | | that all students are not brilliant students-some |
| | | | | students are brilliant. The KEY AREA should be |
| Innovations in curricular design etc can be done in | | | | development of less brilliant students. |
| universities as the various departments enjoy | | | | We would , therefore urge upon NAAC authority |
| some sorts of autonomy. But NAAC has included | | | | to look into the matter immediately and formulate |
| this ‘key result area’ in the AQAR for | | | | different assessment criterion for under graduate |
| colleges also! | | | | general colleges giving topmost priority to |
| 4. Inter-disciplinary programmes started: | | | | diversified socio-economic setup of the country . |
| 5. Examination reforms implemented: | | | | The basic point is Universities are situated in |
| The NAAC authorities are well aware about the | | | | developed areas with various facilities whereas |
| fact that these two areas are also outside the | | | | most of the colleges are situated in less privileged |
| jurisdiction of general colleges. Still now large | | | | underdeveloped areas. Under graduate colleges |
| number of colleges are following the annual | | | | should be treated as under graduate college and |
| examination pattern. It is not even easy on the | | | | therefore specialised mechanism should be |
| part of those affiliated general colleges following | | | | evolved for the benefit of the students of under |
| semester system to implement examination | | | | graduate colleges. |
| reform or initiation of inter-disciplinary | | | | |