KOLKATA: At least 172 colleges in West Bengal may lose affiliation and fund support from UGC because they have never applied for NAAC certification, which will be mandatory from 2017.
"The UGC has said that any college or university that does not have NAAC accreditation in the current five-year cycle will be de-affiliated. Several colleges in Bengal have not bothered to renew their accreditation. Of the 460 state-aided colleges, only 288 were accredited at some point of time but several of them did not renew their accreditation. Some colleges have received 'C' grade and are not eligible for government aid," said a source in the state secretariat at Nabanna.
Desperate to catch up with other states, the Bengal government is offering financial help of up to Rs 2 crore to colleges that have NAAC A-grade or B-grade rating, hoping that it will encourage other colleges to apply for the certification. But only 59 of these 288 colleges were found eligible to receive funds. Among them are St Xavier's College, Midnapore College, Lady Brabourne College and Bethune College. "Midnapore College received A+ grade in 2004 and A grade in 2012. Bethune College was accredited 'A' in 2006 and 2015," said a source.
"Accreditation ensures quality and we want all the colleges and universities to get graded by NAAC. The state incentive may help colleges to strengthen infrastructure," said an official at Nabanna. The government also needs to fill up teaching vacancies in colleges. In Krishnanagar's Dwijendralal College, for instance, there are only six full-time teachers for 669 students.
But why does a college need the NAAC tag when it is affiliated to a state university? The purpose is to ensure quality in education and standardisation of performance levels of colleges across the country, said an official.
Many states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh are way ahead of Bengal on NAAC accreditation, putting a question mark on the future of Bengal colleges. Private colleges are mushrooming in the state and even state-aided colleges are introducing self financing courses, with licence to seek funds from the industry. "Such diversity calls for parity in curriculum, infrastructure, teaching and research. UGC has set parameters of standard performance and also provided for grading of colleges and universities to make the process transparent," pointed out a UGC official.
The state's financial incentive is likely to set the ball rolling. At present, colleges that have NAAC grade do not see how it differentiates them from those that didn't bother to apply for it. Asutosh College, for instance, was rated C++ in 2002 but didn't feel it necessary to re-apply when the rating expired in 2007. The reason, as former principal Dipak Kar puts it, is that a NAAC rating hardly makes a difference. "Funds were released to our college irregularly, on ad hoc basis. We had to wait for prolonged periods to get them. It defeats the purpose of development," Kar said.
State higher education officials now want NAAC-rated colleges to submit detailed project reports (DPR) for availing incentives. "We need to know how they will spend the amount," an official said.
Only Jadavpur University and Vidyasagar University have got graded in the current cycle. The 17 other varsities — including Calcutta University — have applied for gradation. "The rules say that a university can apply for NAAC accreditation only if two batches have graduated or it has completed six years. Hence, newly formed universities like Presidency, Diamond Harbour Women's University, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University and Kazi Nazrul University, will fail to meet the criteria," an official said.
States ahead of Bengal in NAAC accreditation
1. Maharashtra: 1106 colleges
2. Karnataka: 584 colleges
3. Gujarat: 429 colleges
4. Tamil Nadu: 600 colleges
5. Uttar Pradesh: 479 colleges
6. West Bengal: 288 colleges
"The UGC has said that any college or university that does not have NAAC accreditation in the current five-year cycle will be de-affiliated. Several colleges in Bengal have not bothered to renew their accreditation. Of the 460 state-aided colleges, only 288 were accredited at some point of time but several of them did not renew their accreditation. Some colleges have received 'C' grade and are not eligible for government aid," said a source in the state secretariat at Nabanna.
Desperate to catch up with other states, the Bengal government is offering financial help of up to Rs 2 crore to colleges that have NAAC A-grade or B-grade rating, hoping that it will encourage other colleges to apply for the certification. But only 59 of these 288 colleges were found eligible to receive funds. Among them are St Xavier's College, Midnapore College, Lady Brabourne College and Bethune College. "Midnapore College received A+ grade in 2004 and A grade in 2012. Bethune College was accredited 'A' in 2006 and 2015," said a source.
"Accreditation ensures quality and we want all the colleges and universities to get graded by NAAC. The state incentive may help colleges to strengthen infrastructure," said an official at Nabanna. The government also needs to fill up teaching vacancies in colleges. In Krishnanagar's Dwijendralal College, for instance, there are only six full-time teachers for 669 students.
But why does a college need the NAAC tag when it is affiliated to a state university? The purpose is to ensure quality in education and standardisation of performance levels of colleges across the country, said an official.
Many states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh are way ahead of Bengal on NAAC accreditation, putting a question mark on the future of Bengal colleges. Private colleges are mushrooming in the state and even state-aided colleges are introducing self financing courses, with licence to seek funds from the industry. "Such diversity calls for parity in curriculum, infrastructure, teaching and research. UGC has set parameters of standard performance and also provided for grading of colleges and universities to make the process transparent," pointed out a UGC official.
The state's financial incentive is likely to set the ball rolling. At present, colleges that have NAAC grade do not see how it differentiates them from those that didn't bother to apply for it. Asutosh College, for instance, was rated C++ in 2002 but didn't feel it necessary to re-apply when the rating expired in 2007. The reason, as former principal Dipak Kar puts it, is that a NAAC rating hardly makes a difference. "Funds were released to our college irregularly, on ad hoc basis. We had to wait for prolonged periods to get them. It defeats the purpose of development," Kar said.
State higher education officials now want NAAC-rated colleges to submit detailed project reports (DPR) for availing incentives. "We need to know how they will spend the amount," an official said.
Only Jadavpur University and Vidyasagar University have got graded in the current cycle. The 17 other varsities — including Calcutta University — have applied for gradation. "The rules say that a university can apply for NAAC accreditation only if two batches have graduated or it has completed six years. Hence, newly formed universities like Presidency, Diamond Harbour Women's University, Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University and Kazi Nazrul University, will fail to meet the criteria," an official said.
States ahead of Bengal in NAAC accreditation
1. Maharashtra: 1106 colleges
2. Karnataka: 584 colleges
3. Gujarat: 429 colleges
4. Tamil Nadu: 600 colleges
5. Uttar Pradesh: 479 colleges
6. West Bengal: 288 colleges
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