The KISS-DU IQAC team, represented by Dr. Snigdharani Panda, Ms. Preeti Priyambada, and Mr. Atul Nag, attended the Regional Consultative Workshop-Eastern Region conducted by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC), India, on 20th July 2024, at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar.
The Dr. Radhakrishnan Committee on Transformative Reforms in Accreditation, approved by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, recommended a simple, trust-based, credible, objective, and rationalised system for approval, accreditation, and ranking of HEIs. Following these recommendations, NAAC constituted an Apex Committee and Discipline-wise Committees, which held around 40 meetings to prepare the necessary framework and manuals. Based on the recommendations of the Apex Committee, the Executive Committee of NAAC proposed launching the reforms in two phases: Binary Accreditation Framework (BAF) and Maturity-based Graded Levels (MBGL).
The Regional Consultative Workshops for higher educational institutions in the Eastern Region were conducted as a collaborative effort to create awareness and seek input on the proposed Binary Accreditation. Participants, including academic leaders, coordinators, and individuals involved in the accreditation and assessment of institutions, were all part of this community-driven initiative.
Professor Ganesan Kannabiran, Director of NAAC, addressed the inaugural session, encouraging participants to assimilate the discussions to implement the BAF effectively. This was followed by speeches from Professor Pallab Banerjee (IIT Kharagpur), Professor Sabita Acharya, Vice Chancellor, Utkal University, Professor T. V. Kattimani, Vice Chancellor of Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh and Professor Manish R. Joshi, Secretary UGC. Professor Anil D. Sahasrabudhe delivered the inaugural address, highlighting the importance of these reforms for implementing the National Education Policy 2020 and ensuring equality in the accreditation and assessment process.
Professor Kannabiran led Technical Session 1 following the inaugural session, introducing the Binary Accreditation Framework. He discussed the Framework and the various weights assigned to Universities, Autonomous, and Affiliated Colleges across ten criteria. He also outlined the new changes in the eligibility framework and emphasised the importance of uniqueness and situatedness to ensure equity among universities.
In Technical Session 2, Dr M.S. Shyamasundar, Advisor to NAAC, extensively covered the individual metrics, their measurements, and the document requirements for each metric. He stressed that the focus was not just on evaluating institutions but also on improving the quality of education, acknowledging the challenges posed by India’s vast and diverse educational landscape.
The post-lunch session featured a panel discussion with Professor Aparajita Choudhury, Vice Chancellor of Rama Devi Women’s University, Professor Ajit Kumar Sinha, Vice Chancellor of Ranchi University, Professor T. V. Kattimani, Vice Chancellor of Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh and Professor Gitanjali Dash, Vice Chancellor of Berhampur University. The panel discussed various aspects of the BAF implementation and its salient features, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. An Open Forum was held to address queries from the audience, which the Director of NAAC took.
In the concluding session, Professor A. K. Das, Vice Chairman of the Higher Education Council Odisha, addressed the unique concerns of BAF in the context of the Odisha Higher Education scenario. He emphasised that India’s education sector faces significant challenges in implementing reforms and ensuring quality education for students and society. Engaging in discussions and deliberations, the country can work towards achieving these goals and improving the quality of education for all.
The event provided the IQAC team with a comprehensive understanding of the BAF, ensuring they are well-prepared for the upcoming changes. It also provided an opportunity to interact with the NAAC team, facilitating the implementation of the proposed reforms.
