The University Grants Commission (UGC) has taken a decision of mandatory accreditation for all universities and colleges coming under its purview. The aim is to improve the quality of higher education in the country. From now on, all the UGC affiliated universities and higher learning institutes in the country have to obtain accreditation certificates from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bangalore, to get funds from the UGC for various academic and research programmes.
While addressing the 5th NAAC accreditation award ceremony, Ved Prakash, Chairman, UGC, an order will be issued soon to make accreditation mandatory for all universities and colleges come under the UGC. The rule to make accreditation mandatory will be soon vetted by the Human Resource Development Ministry.
On the whole, the accreditation helps an institution to identify its strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities. All educational institutions coming under UGC must obtain accreditation once in three years.
According to the officials, the UGC has already made it mandatory for all institutions to submit accreditation certificate of the NAAC with a minimum ‘B’ grade to get funds under the “Colleges with Potential Excellence” scheme. Otherwise, “the college has to refund the entire amount along with penal interest of 10 per cent to the UGC.
