The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) removed 900 peer assessors after identifying irregularities in their evaluation processes.

• These assessors were responsible for evaluating higher education institutions in the course of grading the institutions.

About National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)

• NAAC is an autonomous body under the University Grants Commission (UGC)which assesses  the ‘Quality Status’ of higher education institutions (HEIs).
• Establishment: It was founded in 1994 based on recommendations from the National Policy on Education (1986) and Programme of Action (1992).
• Regulatory Role: Operates under the UGC Act, 1956, overseeing the assessment and accreditation of HEIs  in India.
• Assessment Process: Evaluates institutions based on predefined criteria, ensuring quality standards.
• Accreditation Certification: Grants accreditation valid for five years, with grades ranging from A++ to D (where D signifies non-accreditation).
• Headquarters : Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Functions of NAAC

• Multi-Layered Evaluation: Uses comprehensive assessment methods to assign institutional grades.
• Key Evaluation Parameters: Curricular aspects, teaching-learning processes, infrastructure, governance, and innovation.
• Governance Structure: The Chairperson of UGC serves as the President of NAAC’s General Council.

Other Methods of Assessment of Higher Education Institution

About National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)

• NIRF is a ranking methodology developed by the Ministry of Education, India to assess and rank higher education institutions across the country.
• Launch Year: It was launched in November 2015 and has been releasing rankings annually since then.
• Latest Edition: The 7th edition of NIRF was released in July 2022, while the 2024 edition introduced major changes.
• Framework: The NIRF ranks institutions based on a structured methodology that evaluates their performance across multiple categories.
• Ranking Categories: It includes Overall, Research Institutions, Universities, Colleges, and discipline-specific rankings (Engineering, Management, Pharmacy, Law, etc.).
• 2024 Updates: Three new categories were introduced: State Public Universities, Open Universities, and Skill Universities. 
  • Additionally, the Innovation ranking was integrated into the NIRF framework.
• Ranking Parameters and Weightage:
  • Teaching, Learning and  Resources (TLR) :  30%
  • Research and Professional Practice (RP) : 30%
  • Graduation Outcomes (GO) :  20%
  • Outreach and  Inclusivity (OI) : 10%
  • Perception (PR) : 10%