Educationists call for more transparency in NAAC ranks

Educationists call for more transparency in NAAC ranks

Suspense over grades of 38 deemed universities, earlier blacklisted by a government-appointed committee, has ended with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council making them public. Several academicians termed the ratings as shocking after some top institutions got a thumbs-down and little-known universities scored big.

In the fresh round of assessment, the highest score -3.53 or the coveted A Grade -was awarded to Sumadeep Vidyape, Vadodara. It is followed by Siksha `O' Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, which was graded at 3.35, again an A Grade. Uttarakhand's Graphic Era University is next with a score of 3.23, an A. Maha rashtra's Krishna Institute of Medical Science and Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research tied at 3.20, also an A.

In all, 17 universities got the top billing, an A Grade, putting them on par with some of the elite universities in the country such as Pune University. Another 20 have been give a B Grade. One, Uttar Pradesh's Nehru Gram Bharti University, Allahabad, has been graded at C; it scored 1.51.

“It is shocking to note that some prestigious institutes have slipped in the rankings.These scores of Christ University and Jain University (2.63, Grade B) are shocking,“ said Mohandas Pai, chairman of the Board of Manipal Global Education. I feel the government must put out detailed reports of how these scores were achieved by giving categorywise marks so that performance and scores of universities on various counts can be compared. This will lead to transparency ,“ said Mohandas Pai, chairman of the Board of Manipal Global Education.

Several other educationists TOI spoke to did not want to be quoted, but said the scores of several universities were surprising. Arun Nigavekar said, “There are seven points that are considered when a university is graded.Detailed point-wise scores must be released.“

Acting on a petition filed by advocate Viplav Sharma, the Centre had appointed the Tandon Committee, which later classified all the 122 deemed universities into three types.Forty-four fell in the bottom category and were sought to be derecognized on the grounds that they did not have the mandatory infrastructure and had become “teaching shops“. Later, the court asked these universities to submit their self-assessment report so that NAAC could award them fresh grades.

NAAC said the assessment and gradation were done based on the 2012 Regulations of the NAAC and without considering the 2010 UGC Regulations, and as per its assessment, these deemed universities can continue to function. 

Source | Times of India | 22 November 2015

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Pralhad Jadhav

Khaitan  & Co