1. Developing a well thought-out, short-term and long-term Perspective Plan in sync with University’s vision and mission and other related internal and external factors. It should not lose sight of advances in multi-disciplinary and emerging fields of study. The key to success would lie in delving into setting up a robust mechanism of IQAC quarterly review of progress and course correction.
2. AAA down to academic departments, central facilities, academic, admin units, labs and workshops by external experts, preferably drawn from relevant industry and institutes of national importance. Keep upgrading labs in sync with the advances taking place in the industry to turn students into capable resources so that they can ‘hit the ground running’, on joining. Further, it would be utmost essential for IQAC to implement audit recommendations.
3. NAAC accreditation in one of top grades and NBA accreditation of all those engineering programs which meet pre-qualifiers. IQAC to continuously work towards THE, QS and NIRF ranking of university and colleges in their respective categories. It needs a major team effort. It shouldn’t so happen that IQAC gets so badly bogged down in these processes, that it forgets its other important functions stated by the NAAC.
4. Developing NEP Implementation document jointly with the Dean (A). Don’t leave it to tomorrow. You’re already late if not yet done. Complete it by Dec with all approvals sought for implementation so that you can issue advance information and ‘student brochure’ for the next AY by Feb 2024.
5. Developing a research intensive university in preference to ‘teaching intensive’ ; though India needs both. Globally, research intensive universities are doing far better in credibility and world ranking. It would require IQAC to join Head HR, Registrar, Dean Research, Research Committee in creating an enabling eco-system, hiring of leading researchers so as to further develop research groups, engaging research mentors, seeking seed money, funding, endowments, Chairs and developing research labs.
6. Inspiring and supporting faculty to contribute at the national and international level, namely, nomination on a national panel, Regulator body’s panel, participation in TV discussions and debates on academics, writing drafts for national policies, developing courses for the National MOOCs, curriculum for the UGC, AICTE, NMC etc. Faculty leading innovation, incubators, engineering projects to develop prototypes, leading to transfer of knowledge and technology to industry.
7. In a role reversal, be a torchbearer in promoting ethics and values deep into the very fibre of university system. It is possible to do so only when IQAC is fully backed by the top management.
-Prof JR Sharma
