Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education in Uttarakhand
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), established in 1994, is an autonomous institution under the University Grants Commission (UGC), which evaluates and accredits higher education institutions across India.
In accordance with the guidelines of NAAC, the Government of Uttarakhand, through the Office Memorandum No. 252/XXIV(7)2005 dated 26 April 2005 issued by the Education Section-7, established the State Level Quality Assurance Coordination Committee (SLQAC) under the chairmanship of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.
Following the directive, a Quality Assurance Cell was constituted under the supervision of the Directorate of Higher Education in Uttarakhand. This cell is responsible for:
- Raising awareness about NAAC assessment and accreditation in government and non-government colleges.
- Organizing training workshops to initiate the assessment/accreditation process.
- Preparing departmental action plans related to quality enhancement.
- Reviewing the progress of assessment and accreditation activities.
According to NAAC policy, each university and college must undergo re-accreditation every five years after their first cycle of accreditation.
Efforts Made for NAAC Accreditation:
Under the guidance of the Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, several seminars were organized in various colleges across the state, focusing on quality enhancement and innovation. These seminars involved the participation of various stakeholders in higher education, including representatives appointed by the state government.
As per the recommendations of the SLQAC meeting held on 22 May 2019 in Dehradun under the RUSA project, several meetings of principals were organized where challenges related to NAAC assessment and accreditation were discussed and recommendations for their resolution were made.
To accelerate the process of assessment and accreditation, a regional training workshop for assessors was organized on 26 September 2019 under the aegis of H.N.B. Garhwal University, where NAAC experts also participated.
Further, as per the instructions of the Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education, four regional workshops were conducted by the RUSA Directorate at four colleges in the state: Ranikhet, MB Government PG College Haldwani, Kotdwar, and Agastyamuni. During these workshops, training was provided, and committees were formed in the respective colleges to facilitate the NAAC process.
The SLQAC also organized a state-level workshop on 28 August 2018 in Dehradun to promote NAAC accreditation. High-level NAAC committees inspected 14 colleges across both divisions of the state for accreditation readiness.
Moreover, SLQAC published newsletters and six manuals related to the NAAC accreditation process.
Through Government Order No. 134/XXIV-C-2/2021-56 (2) 19 dated 29 January 2021, a budget of Rs. 1 crore was sanctioned for the development of infrastructure and other necessary expenses for 13 government colleges to obtain NAAC accreditation.
Current Status:
As of now, under the Department of Higher Education in Uttarakhand:
- 1 state university,
- 5 private universities,
- 19 government colleges, and
- 5 non-government colleges have been accredited by NAAC.
Efforts are being actively made to accredit other government colleges that have land, buildings, and other required infrastructure.