Now, NAAC accreditation a must for college affiliations in K’taka But Aided Institutions Say Move Is Not Viable

Now, NAAC accreditation a must for college affiliations in K’taka But Aided Institutions Say Move Is Not Viable 

Kevin.Mendonsa@timesofindia.com 16.01.2025

Times of india Bangalore 

Colleges will not be granted affiliation if they do not have accreditation from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). So far, colleges have been granted temporary affiliation, but hereafter it will be permanent, with NAAC accreditation being mandatory. 

NAAC, which is part of University Grants Commission (UGC), also helps higher education institutions (HEIs) to avail several benefits from state and Union govts. The higher education department is pushing HEIs in the state to go for NAAC accreditation and complete the process soon. According to Karnataka State Universities Act of 2000, colleges could previously receive permanent affiliation for courses under universities even without NAAC accreditation. However, the department of higher education issued a notification stating that NAAC accreditation was necessary. On Aug 3, 2021, it granted universities the authority to provide permanent affiliation based on the colleges’ basic infrastructure, even without NAAC accreditation. On July 18, 2024, the principal secretary of the department of higher education sent a circular to universities stating that NAAC accreditation is required, advising them to proceed accordingly. 

Many colleges in the state have expired NAAC accreditation, and some have not even considered obtaining it. The rule now mandates NAAC for both applying for courses and their renewal. K Vikram, coordinator for NAAC and nodal officer of State Quality Assurance Cell, department of collegiate education, told TOI that as of now, close to 83% of govt first-grade colleges in the state have NAAC accreditation, whereas only 60% of aided colleges have accreditation. Private institutions in large numbers are NAAC accredited. Explaining why NAAC accreditation is mandatory, Vikram said UGC has directed there will not be temporary affiliation and it will be a permanent one in coming days. As a result, NAAC accreditation is a must. Besides, to avail of funding from UGC and for projects, NAAC accreditation will be taken into consideration.

 “Besides affiliation and funding, NAAC accreditation is con

sidered for everything in HEIs,” stressed Vikram, adding that there are seven parameters of NAAC. “Each one of them speaks volumes about the institution’s strength,” he added. However, some of the aided colleges pointed out that NAAC accreditation, which is reviewed every five years, requires a huge amount of money. Aided colleges have to pay a fee of Rs 5 lakh and law colleges about Rs 9 lakh. It is not financially affordable, the aided colleges have pointed out. Manjushree N, commissioner of DCE, Bengaluru, said: “For better quality output from education institutions, both govt and private, NAAC accreditation was made mandatory for all higher education institutions in the state.”