NAAC purges 900 assessors after corruption allegations

NAAC purges 900 assessors after corruption allegations 

Before Sacking 20% Of Inspectors, It Had Stopped Physical Inspections

Hemali.Chhapia@timesofindia.com 25.02.2025

Mumbai : The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) took a dramatic step, cutting nearly a fifth of its peer reviewers — almost 900 of them — after allegations of corruption surfaced in the grading process. The purge followed a tip-off to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that assessors visiting Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, a deemed university in Andhra Pradesh, solicited a bribe in exchange for the highest accreditation grade. At a moment when NAAC was already reassessing its accreditation framework, the mass removal of reviewers signalled a deeper shift. 

Letters from the NAAC director to the remaining peer reviewers made clear that their work was more than procedural; it was a “nationally important assignment”. “We were reviewing our processes for over a year. We were also looking at the assessors on board and while we removed many, we were also looking at onboarding some senior academicians, vicechancellors, deans, and directors of reputed insti tutes,” said professor Anil Sahasrabudhe, chairman of the NAAC executive committee. 

In a move aimed at eradicating corruption and streamlining accreditation, after the KLEF case, NAAC abruptly halted physical inspections of colleges. Evaluations, it said, would now be conducted entirely online, eliminating campus visits for colleges. Universities, though, would see a hybrid approach—most assessments would be remote, but select reviewers would still conduct on-site visits to ensure oversight. “Integrity is not a line item—it is the very foundation of trust in the system. 

We dropped more than 900 assessors. In some cases, the data about these assessors was insufficient; in others, we reviewed their assessments and found them lacking. Some were removed based on feedback we received, and in others, we analysed how they wrote their reports,” NAAC director Ganesan Kannabiran told TOI. “In some cases, we compared the two assessment reports and felt that certain assessors’ performance did not meet NAAC’s requirements,” Kannabiran added.

GU lost A++ NAAC grade due to 515 vacant positions

GU lost A++ NAAC grade due to 515 vacant positions 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 12.02.2025

Ahmedabad : Gujarat University could not score A++ in the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) evaluation due to over 500 vacant teaching and administrative positions. The NAAC committee, in its recently released report, highlighted several key shortcomings affecting the university’s performance, including faculty shortages, infrastructure gaps and delays in recruitment. The university has begun preparations to address these issues. A NAAC team which had recently inspected the varsity has currently given it an A+ grade. Before that, GU had been rated B. One of the major concerns was the large number of unfilled positions. Currently, 103 teaching and 412 administrative posts remain vacant, totalling 515 vacancies. This figure is nearly equal to the number of occupied positions. 

Although a recruitment process was initiated in 2022, it was halted before the interview stage. The process has not resumed due to factors such as the new vice-chancellor’s appointment, the implementation of the Gujarat Public Universities Act, and changes in education policy. The NAAC team noted that GU’s inability to fill these positions was a key reason why it lost top accreditation grade. Additionally, the team emphasised the need for an inclusive learning system for differently abled students, development of a well-equipped sports complex and improved hostel facilities. The report also stressed the importance of attracting more international students and establishing transportation within the campus.

The report further highlighted uncertainty regarding grants, as GU is awaiting a Rs 100 crore grant for infrastructure and academic improvements. The team also pointed out the need for upgrading laboratories and digitising department records. Addressing the concerns, VC Neerja Gupta said, “Immediate steps are being taken to introduce a transport system for students, and if the recruitment process faces further delays, we will bring in professors on deputation.

NAAC debars varsity in A.P. for 5 years from accreditation

NAAC debars varsity in A.P. for 5 years from accreditation

The case involves the CBI probe into the alleged bribery of a NAAC team by the Guntur-based Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation; the council also debars all 7 members of the team

The Hindu Bureau  09.02.2025

Bengaluru

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), the autonomous accreditation body for higher education institutes, on Saturday announced that its executive committee has decided to not only cancel the current process of accreditation of the Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF) in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, but also debar its university for five years from applying for accreditation.

It has also decided to debar all the seven members of the peer team for lifetime in assessment or any other activities of NAAC with immediate effect.

The case involves the CBI investigation into the alleged bribery of a NAAC team by the KLEF in exchange for an A++ rating for its university.

“In addition, it is decided to review the recent visits to HEIs (higher education institutions) by any of the seven members for which the results are not declared. The results of such HEIs will be withheld, and the Standing Committee of NAAC may critically review before declaring the results. In addition, it is decided that the visits of last one year will be carefully analysed and put up to EC for further necessary action,” said NAAC in a statement.

“As per the Dr. Radhakrishnan Committee recommendations, NAAC has proposed to launch the Basic (Binary) Accreditation in April/May 2025 followed by Maturity-based Graded Levels (MBGL). Special committees are working on the preparation of framework and methodology for MBGL. It is observed that NAAC’s Peer Review system has faced a challenging situation due to the recent CBI case. These are undesirable to the higher education system, and NAAC being a quality assurance agency is determined to eliminate such practices through definitive actions,” said NAAC, adding that it is planning to take additional steps to refine the system by eliminating the scope for unfair practices in the system.

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