Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan fixes 15-day deadline for VCs to submit Action Report

Bengaluru:  Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan has directed all Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of Government Universities to submit their action plan within 15 days with regard to obtaining National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation and National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings.

The Minister, who is very keen on implementing National Educational Policy (NEP), had convened a meeting of VCs here yesterday. He said that in this era of competency, every University should have NIRF ranking and each College should have NAAC accreditation. The action plan should comprise details with regard to programmes planned for the next three years, preparations that will be done for attaining NIRF ranking and NAAC accreditation. “NIRF ranking and NAAC accreditation are mandatory to sign Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with global educational institutions and to get higher grants. These are very much essential to strengthen the higher education system also. Our education system should keep pace with the global trends and accordingly, education policy needs to be framed,” he said.

Dr. Ashwathnarayan said that currently, Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bengaluru, was in the first spot in NIRF ranking followed by University of Mysore (27),  Bangalore University (68), Kuvempu University, Shivamogga (73) and VTU, Belagavi (80). By the time the next list of ranking is announced, University of Mysore must secure a rank within 20, Bengaluru should aim within 50 and VTU should also improve its rankings, he noted.  G. Kumar Naik, Principal Secretary, Department of Higher Education, P. Pradeep, Commissioner of Department of Collegiate Education and Technical Education, Prof. Thimmegowda, Vice-Chairman of Higher Educational Council, Gopala Joshi, Executive Director of Higher Educational Council and others were present.

How NIRF ranking is awarded

NIRF ranking will be awarded based on the parameters of Teaching, Learning and Resources, Research & Professional Practice, Graduation outcomes, Outreach and Inclusivity and Perception. 

So far, only 50 Government Colleges out of 430 have got NAAC accreditation. It is aimed to get NAAC accreditation for 230 colleges in the next three years and to facilitate achieving this, two NAAC co-ordinators have been appointed for each University limit.