Prof. D P Singh, Director, NAAC speaks to Abhay Anand on the bottlenecks in the process of accreditation, what is being done to speed it up and efforts to bring in transparency…
Q. Earlier you were associated with universities, and now you are on the other side, evaluating them. How do you look at it?
A. The experience of being part of the university system, both central and state, helps me and the aspirations of the universities and the expectations of NAAC. Coincidently, NAAC visit at two of the universities happened when I was the VC. These experiences help me at NAAC to improve quality of higher education by keeping in mind various aspects and expectation of universities.
Q. How do you look at accreditation in the light of changing higher education scenario across the globe?
A. It is very important and in India it has been made mandatory by the MHRD and all the universities and colleges come under this mandatory notification. UGC, MHRD, DST and all other agencies give due importance to NAAC grading for awarding funds under various schemes. UGC has schemes like University with Potential for Excellence, Centre with Potential for Excellence, Colleges with Potential for Excellence; under these schemes only colleges and universities with ‘A’ grade accreditation are eligible for funding.
Similarly, the funding pattern under the UGC and RUSA has been linked with accreditation based on the grade the colleges and universities have got in accreditation and non-accredited ones will get nothing. As accreditation is mandatory more and more institutions are coming for accreditation.
Q. Though it is mandatory, very less number of institutions are going for accreditation. Why is it so?
A. Now, the scenario has changed since accreditation was made mandatory. Till July this year we have had 276 universities accredited.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The 50 colleges in 5 countries where most Indians go for MBBS abroad
Data on countries and colleges from the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) 2022 - the latest available - shows that most Indians who completed medical degrees abroad and wrote the FMGE went to five countries.
Foreign medical colleges: Look before you leap
A close look at foreign medical colleges that thousands of Indians have graduated from shows that many are unaccredited, don’t have hospitals or even their own websites
'Either I clear FMGE or leave the country'
After spending lakhs on MBBS degrees abroad, thousands spend years trying to clear the FMGE. That is the only option for Indian graduates of foreign medical colleges to build a career in India
Why hundreds of nursing graduates leave India each year
There has been an increase in nursing institutes over the past two decades but policy gaps, lax regulations, poor pay and opportunities are pushing a large number of nursing staff to seek opportunities abroad
In Kashmir, why NEET and JEE candidates flock to private reading halls to prepare for exams
These are accessible round-the-clock, even on public holidays, have private cabins and booths, kitchen, discussion area and some, even places for napping
Battling despair and depression in medical school
Long hours, bullying, lack of support make a difficult programme tougher for medical students. They hope for clear guidelines from the NMC
This father-daughter duo uncovered a scam in NEET admissions in West Bengal
Several generalcategory students had secured admission in medical colleges with forged ST certificates. Ishita Soren spotted the names, and her father followed up
'Forced to take up bonded labour
There's massive resistance to a state policy in Karnataka that requires even private medical college graduates to do one year's mandatory rural service
‘A routine circus': PG medical students lobby, move court to get stipends
Despite NMC orders, many medical colleges still seriously underpay resident doctors and threaten them into silence. In government colleges, stipends can be delayed for months
Why Mizoram wants centre to take over its only medical college
Mizoram got its first state medical college in 2018. In 2023, it asked the union government to take over. Mixed up in this are questions of funding, MBBS seat distribution
