The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has decided to revamp its accreditation system for higher educational institutions. This includes transitioning from the letter grade system to a binary categorization and introducing the Maturity-Based Graded Accreditation (MBGA) system.
Changes in Accreditation System
The NAAC’s executive council meeting on January 27, 2024, decided to adopt a binary categorization of “accredited” or “not accredited” for higher educational institutions. Accredited institutions can pursue higher levels of accreditation under the Maturity-Based Graded Accreditation (MBGA) system.
Maturity-Based Graded Accreditation (MBGA)
Under the MBGA system, institutions meeting expected requirements are classified as ‘Institutions of National Excellence’, with levels ranging from 1 to 4. Exceptional performers are categorized as level 5 institutions, denoted as ‘Institutions of Global Excellence for Multi-Disciplinary Research and Education’. Implementation of this system is expected by December 2024.
History of Controversies
The NAAC’s accreditation system has faced allegations of irregularities, favoritism, and corruption. These issues prompted investigations, including a committee headed by J P Singh Joreel, revealing significant flaws in the accreditation process.
Scrutiny of New System
Concerns persist regarding the fairness and transparency of the new accreditation system, especially given the NAAC’s history of irregularities. Questions arise about the mechanisms to ensure fairness and the integrity of the evaluation process.
Suggestions for Improvement
Improvements are needed in the conduct of peer team visits during campus assessments to foster confidence and maintain academic integrity. The selection of experienced and knowledgeable academics as peer team members is crucial to the credibility of the evaluation process.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with Answers:
- What categorization system did the NAAC decide to introduce for higher educational institutions?
- a) Letter grade system
- b) Binary categorization
- c) Numerical grading system
- d) Pass/fail system
- Answer: b) Binary categorization
- What is the highest level of accreditation under the Maturity-Based Graded Accreditation (MBGA) system?
- a) Level 1
- b) Level 3
- c) Level 5
- d) Level 7
- Answer: c) Level 5
- What was the committee headed by J P Singh Joreel commissioned to investigate?
- a) Quality of education in higher institutions
- b) Allegations of irregularities in the NAAC’s accreditation process
- c) Implementation of the binary categorization system
- d) Corruption in government agencies
- Answer: b) Allegations of irregularities in the NAAC’s accreditation process
- What is a concern regarding the fairness of the new accreditation system?
- a) Lack of accreditation for institutions
- b) Complexity of the grading system
- c) Transparency and bias in the evaluation process
- d) High cost of accreditation
- Answer: c) Transparency and bias in the evaluation process
- What suggestion is made for improving the peer team visit process during campus assessments?
- a) Increasing the number of visitors
- b) Reducing the frequency of visits
- c) Ensuring experienced and knowledgeable peer team members
- d) Eliminating the peer team visit process altogether
- Answer: c) Ensuring experienced and knowledgeable peer team members