NAAC, for all good reasons has given a certain weight to some simple-scoring 4 metrics with whopping 100 marks. It holds the key to tilt the balance of your institute to higher NAAC grade : Don’t make mistakes in understanding how to answer all of these. Here is a clarity :-
1.1.2- Program Syllabus revision-20 marks
1.2.1 – No. of new courses introduced: 30 marks
7.2.1- Two best practices implemented: 30 marks
7.3.1-One area of Distinctiveness : 20 marks
Metric 1.1.2:- It was discussed threadbare yesterday. Essentials:- (a) Don’t have less than 20% courses of any program with syllabus change (won’t get counted) (b) Go for a clincher 70 to 80% courses but each course to have substantial content change of 20 to 30% (exact % difficult to quantify). Don’t forget approvals and Minutes of Meetings.
* Metric 1.2.1* 20% new courses in each program in the past 5 years would be a clincher. Health Sciences, Law and Pharmacy programs would be an obvious pull-back. Don’t forget BOS/AC Minutes. Recommend you review and revise programs curriculum and course syllabus, at least once in 2 years. Let your BOS with external experts do an extensive sustained research in the ever evolving advances in the technology, data and digital programs and courses and deeply study their relevance to arrive at a draft for a curriculum reform.
Metric 7.2.1 Essentials of Best practice to be followed (a) Internally evolved and unique (b) practice implemented for the past at least 3 to 4 years (c) should have positively impacted and impact recorded on a sustained basis (d) be not one such practice essentially expected by NAAC or any regulatory body (e) don’t copy it from other institute or NAAC website. It is your practice (f) it could be in the area of teaching-learning, innovative academic/ admin/governance functional reform or even a financial practice (g) It must be well documented and well-written supported by graphs, tables and visuals. (h) upload according to word limit but do create an impressive high quality printed coffee table book of ‘best practices’ highlighting these two practices amongst others. Showcase these practices to the peer team, and demonstrate it on ground as well.
Metric 7.3.1 1000 words write up should comprise of one single high impact distinctiveness in practice for the past few years. It encompasses unique attributes which separate your institute’s character from the rest of institutes. It could be in any innovative area such as (a) a highly societal impactful scholarship scheme (b) women empowerment by equal or better representation in various designations and committees (c) unique faculty retention scheme (d) “Students’First” initiatives, including providing special support for accelerators and jobs which no other university does such as university becoming the first customer/buyer or allocating space/mentoring/financial support to begin a start up etc. These are some of the many ideas you may have (e) Do not forget to document and present the impact of Distinctive practice. Include this too in a print copy. A print copy necessarily not be limited to words laid down by NAAC. It should seem visibly very impressive in print.
