NEW DELHI: To increase the number of
accreditation and assessment agencies (
AAAs) for higher education institutes in the country, the
University Grants Commission (
UGC) has decided to appoint an
Accreditation Advisory Council (
AAC) which will help the commission set up more such agencies.
"To enhance the existing capacity of accreditation for meeting the requirement of higher education institutes, it has been decided to allow more accreditation agencies to come into this sphere of activity," UGC told the university vice chancellors in a letter on Thursday.
The commission has also notified a 'University Grants Commission (Recognition and Monitoring of Assessment and Accreditation Agencies) Regulations-2018', which, it said, was published in the official Gazette of India on August 20.
The notification allows for setting up of government and semi-government accreditation and assessment agencies.
The council will have up to 10 members who will be distinguished academics, experts in the field of higher education, assessment and accreditation.
The emerging accreditation agencies will be in addition to the two already established government agencies -
NAAC and NBA.
"The objective... is to lay down a framework for mandatory assessment and accreditation of higher educational institutions and/or programmes including technical education programmes," read the copy of regulations.
It will also lay down procedures and criteria for registration of AAAs.
The Council will follow a transparent and merit-based process of selection of such agencies and make recommendation to the Commission for registration.
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