The Higher Education Department has plans to set up a mechanism to ensure quality of teaching and learning in unaided institutions in the State.
“The idea is to have a system that would evaluate academic and infrastructure capabilities of self-financing institutions,” R. Bindu, Higher Education Minister, told The Hindu. “We have to enhance the overall quality in the self-financing sector,” she said. The Minister pointed out that the department had come across instances where teachers in the unaided sector were not paid as per prescribed norms.
“I am not saying that there is a quality deterioration across the sector. While some are functioning well, there are others who have not yet stepped up their infrastructural and academic facilities,” she said.
Accreditation
On the lack of accreditation for an increasing number of higher educational institutions, Dr. Bindu said it was a fact that many institutions had not yet applied for accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). “This list included government colleges. Many were finding it difficult to complete the process, as it involved a lot of preparatory work. Regular transfers and retirements of principals and other staff members in government colleges had delayed such initiatives,” she said.
Of the around 1,500 higher educational institutions in the State, only 240 have accreditation, according to the Kerala State Higher Education Council that had initiated the State-level accreditation of higher educational institutions. However, the Higher Education Department seems to be pondering over whether it would be feasible. “The question is whether it would be an additional burden on the institutions to go for accreditation at the State-level and by the NAAC,” said Dr. Bindu.
Autonomous colleges
Asked about the poor representation of government colleges among autonomous institutions in the State, the Minister said it would not be a daunting task to elevate government colleges to autonomous institutions.
“But it required a policy decision and further deliberations,” she said.
Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, is the only government institution among the 19 autonomous colleges in the State.
On the delay in the launch of open and distance learning (ODL) programmes under the Sreenarayanaguru Open University, Dr. Bindu said that the pandemic situation had delayed the approval for courses by the Distance Education Bureau (DEB) under the University Grants Commission.
“However, we are hopeful of getting it before the start of the admission to undergraduate programmes this year,” she said.