A loss of clarity and commitment in preparing for the NAAC and NBA accreditation, and/or living with a false sense of preparedness can potentially land an institute into a poor grade of C or B, B+ or B++. Once in B or C grade, it pulls down an institute’s credibility very badly, leading to all kinds of cascading effects, particularly, poor admissions. Here are a few examples of how some academic leaders view an accreditation challenge, so pathetically which triggers slackness and results into bad grades:
“It is Ok, if my Institute can’t crack into the top Grade. After all, every institute doesn’t get “A’, ‘A+’ or A++grade in NAAC and 6 years of NBA accreditation. We will be OK with B+ or B++. We can however make an attempt for the A”.
“After all, NAAC is majorly a data-driven quantitative metrics process. What’s so complex about it? We will put faculty on data-building. We may have to manufacture some, where we don’t have any.
” It is not a big deal to implement “Outcome-based education system (desired by both NAAC and NBA). After all, it just comprises of framing PEOs, POs, PSOs and COs’. We can easily do that. So what, if ‘Direct and Indirect Assessment and Evaluation’ hasn’t been immersed in the academic system?”
“It is not that difficult to demonstrate performance on all 137 odd metrics in NAAC. We have quality Professors. It is not a rocket science, either. They will be able to pull it off in quick time, a couple of months at best”.
“Yes, we acknowledge that we haven’t done much on research, consultancy, collaborations and faculty numbers. We can’t do much about it”.
Well, if your institute has suffered due to misplaced confidence or lack of due preparations, you shouldn’t resign to the fate and seethe in lowness for the next 5 years. We recommend that you should lose no further time in starting serious preparations again, and if possible go for a consultancy of a top NAAC and NBA consultant and apply for the review of your accreditation grade, after one year.
The two top consulting agencies that enjoy nearly 75% of consultancy share of HEIs in India, are namely, ‘Accreditation Edge’ and ‘Higher Education Accreditation’. There are other individual players of good credibility as well, you can rely upon.
The writer, Prof JR Sharma is a Leading Consultant in NAAC and NBA accreditation in India.
