What are the 7 accreditation criteria for NAAC accreditation?

[Abdul]

What are the 7 accreditation criteria for NAAC accreditation?? And what are the key factors when trying to comply with those?

[Linways]

NAAC’s 7 Assessment criteria for Accreditation

Criterion 1: Curricular Aspects
Curriculum is in the core of education. It is important to have a relevant, well structured curriculum that answers all the questions about the future and equips the student with all the necessary skills and knowledge. This criterion consists of a weightage of

• 100 (- for affiliated colleges)
• 150 (- for Autonomous institutions and Universities).

The key aspects to consider while complying with this criteria are:

• Curriculum design and development,
• Curriculum planning and implementation,
• Academic flexibility,
• Curriculum enrichment,
• Feedback system.

Criterion 2: Teaching-Learning and Evaluation
This criterion addresses the regular academic activities of the institution. The teaching-learning processes, students results, desired outcomes etc comes under this criterion. As the first criteria deals with a “WHAT” in learning, this one assess the “HOW” the learning happens. Various evaluation and assessment practices are also a point of interest for this one.

This criterion contributes a weightage of

• 350 (- for affiliated colleges)
• 300 (- for Autonomous institutions)
• 200 (- for Universities).

Here are some important areas to focus on to improve this criterion.

• Student enrollment and profile,
• Catering student diversity,
• Teaching-Learning process,
• Teacher quality,
• Evaluation process and reforms,
• Student performance and learning outcomes.

Criterion 3: Research, Consultancy and Extension
This criterion, as the name suggests, is about the academic research, extended consultancy services from the side of institution towards the industry and the field of study, and extension which is the outreach of institution towards the society, addressing various real-life problems, finding solutions, and other extra-curricular activities to improve the overall quality of the institution.

It holds a weightage of:

• 150 (- for both Affiliated and autonomous institutions)
• 250 (- or universities).

The key aspects of this criterion are:

• Promotion of research,
• Resource mobilization for research,
• Research facilities,
• Research publications and awards,
• Consultancy,
• Extension activities and institutional social responsibility,
• Collaborations.

Criterion 4: Infrastructure and Learning Resources
Criterion 4 is to assess the physical academic facilities and support system. Having a good learning environment and necessary facilities are important while working towards the quality of education. Classrooms, labs, technology, facilities for physical fitness and medical purposes, proper and sufficient reference materials are all vital for assuring higher educational quality of the institution. Introducing ICT in education comes under this criterion.

This criterion has a weightage of:

• 100 (- for Universities, Affiliated institutions and autonomous institutions)

The major factors to consider while improving this criterion are:

• Physical facilities including hostel, playgrounds, internet wifi, medical emergency addressal etc,
• Library as a learning resource,
• IT infrastructure,
• Maintenance of campus facilities.

Criterion 5: Student Support and Progression
The major field of focus for this criterion is on ensuring proper participation of students in academics, and students support for the side of the institution. Mentoring and providing guidance for the students in various aspects of education and their field of study also matters. Helping and guiding students in their education contributes into the overall quality of education. How the institution facilitate the progression of students to higher level of education and/or towards employment is also an important factor while working on this criterion.

Criterion 5 has a weightage of:

• 100 (- for Universities, Affiliated institutions and autonomous institutions)

To comply with this criteria, the institution need to focus on the following:

• Student mentoring and support,
• Student progression,
• Student participation and activities.

Criterion 6: Governance, leadership and management
Governance and management are the backbone of the institution. Having a well-structured governing body and a management helps to find and address gaps in practices, and efficiently implement proper counter mechanisms on time. The quality and future of the institution depends on it. Internal quality assurance, faculty empowerment, financial resource management, strategy development, all comes down to this criterion.

The maximum weightage while the A&A for this criterion given by the NAAC is:

• 100 (- for Universities, Affiliated institutions and autonomous institutions).

The key aspects of this criterion are:

• Institutional vision and leadership,
• Strategy development and deployment,
• Faculty empowerment strategies,
• Financial management and resource mobilization,
• Internal quality assurance system.

Criterion 7: Innovations and best practices
This criterion is to assess factors like

• The approach of institution towards a greener, eco-friendly campus,
• Energy conservation in the institution,
• Innovative ideas implemented in the institution, and
• Practises towards a common, better future. Etc.

These all proclaims the nature perspectives of the institution towards the outside world, and its moral values. The ‘Best practises’ includes anything that have contributed towards the institutional objectives and quality improvement.

This criterion, in the A&A, has a weightage of:

• 100 (- for Universities, Affiliated institutions and autonomous institutions)

The institution need to focus on the following to comply with this criterion:

• Environment consciousness of management, staff and students,
• Innovations and their implementation, and its results,
• Best practices.

So these are the 7 assessment criteria for accreditation.