Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Dec 26: All government first grade colleges in the state have to get recognition of NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation council) within a year. Instructions in this regard are sent to all the colleges from the office of the commissioner of the college education department.
The process of getting all the government first grade colleges that fall under the control of Mangaluru college education department has already begun. There are 37 government first grade colleges under the regional office limits in the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kodagu districts. Five colleges are already gearing up for the first phase preparation. These colleges are in Uppinangady, Beltangady, Vittal and Bellare in Dakshina Kannada district and Hebri in Udupi district. These colleges have already secured NAAC recognition five years ago but are once again getting ready to get recognition.
Dr Jayakar Bhandary and Deviprasad are nominated as special NAAC officers in the Mangaluru regional office by the director of the department.
NAAC recognition is mandatory to avail various grants including UGC. Every five years a college has to undergo verification for NAAC. Due to Covid, seven colleges of Mangaluru division could not get themselves ready for verification and have lost their recognition.
Compared to other districts, there are no government first grade colleges which have secured NAAC A, A+ grades. Out of the 16 colleges which have this recognition, two colleges are graded B++, three B+ and 11 classified as B grade. 14 colleges have so far not attempted for NAAC survey at all as per special NAAC officer Dr Jayakar Bhandary.
In order to get recognition from NAAC, the respective college should first submit institutional information (IIQA) on the online portal for evaluation. Later a self-study report (SSR) having 1,000 points needs to be uploaded. Seventy percent of the marks will be given based on this report. NAAC peer committee will visit the college and give the rest 30% marks. Earlier, the peer committee itself used to give 100% marks. But as there is a possibility of favouritism and corruption in that method, the valuation method is changed. The cost of valuation by NAAC is Rs five lac for one time. This grant is released for various colleges.