The Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Deemed to be University organized a one-day workshop on “NAAC – Assessment and Accreditation in the Context of NEP 2020” on 15th April 2021. KISS-DU hosted delegates from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) along with Vice-Chancellors from different universities of the state. The meet was attended in a blended mode by numerous distinguished guests and academicians.
The workshop was organised with the purpose of facilitating the institutions to assess their performance vis-à-vis set parameters through introspection and a process that involves space for participation of the institutions in the context of NEP 2020. This involves highlighting the benefits, eligibility criteria, units of accreditation among other parameters.
Welcoming the delegates, Professor Deepak Kumar Behera, Vice Chancellor, KISS-DU expressed his eagerness to take forward the NAAC Accreditation process at KISS-DU in the light of NEP 2020. Delivering the inaugural address, the chief guest Professor S. C. Sharma, Director, NAAC explained the seven assessment criteria for accreditation, focusing in particular on the different curricular aspects therein. In response to a query from the Vice-Chancellor of KISS-DU, he clarified the differences between a teaching university and research university, with regards to the accreditation process.
Speaking in turn, Professor Asoka Kumar Das, Vice Chairman, Odisha State Higher Education Council distinguished the difference of the newly formed National Accreditation Council from the original NAAC, questioning the lack therein of the Assessment aspect, which he deemed vital to the growth and development of Indian higher education institutes. He also discussed the 2020 National Education Policy in correlation to NAAC.
Professor Amiya Kumar Rath, Adviser of NAAC Bangalore shared a detailed outline of the seven assessment criteria of NAAC, spoken about in brief by Professor Sharma. These include, Curricular aspects, Teaching-learning and evaluation, Research, consultancy and extension, Infrastructure and learning resources, Student support and progression, Governance, leadership and management, as well as Innovations and best practices. Continuing along these lines, Dr. B. S. Ponmudiraj, Adviser to NAAC, Bangalore elucidated the various curriculum aspects of NAAC while addressing the queries regarding the role of research in NAAC accreditation.
This was followed by an interactive session wherein the NAAC officials clarified queries from Vice Chancellors representing various universities of the State. These distinguished guests included Professor Aparajita Chowdhury – Vice Chancellor of Ramadevi University, Professor N. Nagaraju – ViceChancellor of Gangadhar Meher University and Professor Sanjay Kumar Satapathy– Vice Chancellor of Kalahandi University. Several queries were also accepted from those attending virtually, with particular interest raised about the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the accreditation process.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Prashanta Kumar Routray, Registrar, KISS-DU, wherein he thanked all present for making this a dynamic and informative learning session.