Lok Sabha Question No. 2915 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-20
Subject: New Grading Pattern by NAAC
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: A.P. JITHENDER REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2915 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2017

## New Grading Pattern by NAAC

2915. SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY:

- Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has introduced a new grading pattern this year and if so, the details thereof along with the criteria used to grade such institutions; (b) whether  this new  pattern would  introduce healthy  competition  among  the institutions and improve the quality of such institutions; (c)  the  details  of  the  educational  institutions  that  have  been  graded  under  this  new system along with their grades, State/UT-wise; and (d)  the  institutions  which  have  bagged  the  prestigious  A++  grade  under  this  pattern and whether their  number is  abysmally  low  and  if  so,  the  reasons  therefor  and  the
- steps undertaken by the Government to improve the situation?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (Dr. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

- (a)  to (c): Yes Madam. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has introduced a revised grading pattern with effect from 1st July 2016. The NAAC has identified the following seven criteria to serve as the basis for its assessment of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs):
-  Curricular Aspects
-  Teaching-learning and evaluation
-  Research, consultancy and extension
-  Infrastructure and learning resources
-  Student support and progression
-  Governance , Leadership and Management
-  Innovations and Best Practices

As per the revised grading system, HEIs are awarded eight types of letter grades viz. A++, A+, A, B++, B+, B, C and D. HEIs with Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

ranging  between  3.76  and  4.00  get  the  highest  grade  of  accreditation  i.e.  'A++' whereas, institutions with CGPA of 1.5 or less are not accredited. The revised grading pattern has the potential to make differentiation within HEIs in terms of their qualitative performance and to ensure healthy competition among these institutions to improve the standards of Higher Education. Till 22 nd February, 2017, NAAC has accredited 1,256 HEIs consisting 1,197 Colleges and 59 Universities under the revised grading system.  The State/UT-wise institutions graded under the revised system of grading are available at http://www.naac.gov.in/docs/Institutions%20accredited%20by%20NAAC%20under%20new%20gradin g%20system.doc (d):  Under  the  new  grading  pattern,  01  University  and  03  Colleges  have  been assessed  and  accredited  at  A++  between  1 st July,  2016  and  22 nd February,  2017. Higher education accreditation is a system of quality assurance under which services and operations of HEIs or programs are evaluated by an external agency to determine if  applicable  standards  of  education  are  met.  The  highest  grade  of  accreditation depends  on  how  the  HEIs  have  taken  steps  to  improve  upon  the  education infrastructure  as  per  the  set  standards/criteria  outlined  by  NAAC  under  the  revised grading  system.  The  revised  grading  system  provides  a  larger  scope  for  healthy competition in  the  education  sector  and  HEIs  which  are  graded  less  than  'A++'  are expected to strive towards achieving the standards set by NAAC for the award of the highest grading.

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