Govt sets up panel to strengthen assessment, accreditation of higher educational institutions

“For strengthening the Assessment & Accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions, the Government of India has constituted a High Level Committee, under the Chairmanship of Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIT Kanpur & Chairperson, Standing Committee of IIT Council,” the Ministry of Education said in a statement.

The mandate of the Committee includes strengthening assessment and accreditation processes and preparing a road map for the National Accreditation Council envisioned in the National Education Policy, 2020.

“India has one of the largest and diverse education systems in the world. With the concerted efforts of the Government there has been widespread expansion in the higher education sector,” it said.

“Accreditation plays a vital role in making quality assurance an integral part of the functioning of Higher Educational Institutions. Accreditation assists the Higher Educational Institutions to understand their strengths and weaknesses through an informed review process, thus facilitating identification of internal areas of planning and resource allocation by them,” the statement reads.

Accreditation status of any Higher Educational Institution serves as a source of reliable information for the students, employers and the society regarding the quality of education being offered in the Institution.

Other members of the committee include Mridul Hazarika, vice-chancellor, Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva Viswavidyalaya, Assam; Bharat Bhasker, Professor, IIM Lucknow and the Joint Secretary, department of higher education, ministry of education.