Only 21% of Indian universities and colleges achieved an ‘A’ grade in their first accreditation cycle by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) as of August 14 . Out of 11,829 institutions assessed in their initial cycle, only 2,533 secured the top grade.
The NAAC, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC), rates higher education institutions on parameters like research, teaching, and learning. Its assessments are critical for institutions.
Accreditation Grades: Key Findings
The NAAC report shows 11,829 universities and colleges underwent their first cycle accreditation. Of these, 2,533 earned Grade A, 7,850 received Grade B, and 1,446 were assigned Grade C. The report does not detail sub-grades like A++, A+, or B+.
Universities demonstrated higher success rates for Grade A. Out of 561 universities assessed, 301 (over 50%) received an ‘A’ grade. In contrast, colleges, which formed the largest cohort with 11,268 institutions, saw 2,232 get Grade A, while 7,610 were assigned Grade B.
| NAAC Grade | Universities | Colleges |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A | 301 | 2232 |
| Grade B | 240 | 7610 |
| Grade C | 20 | 1426 |
Increased Participation in Accreditation
The number of institutions in the first NAAC accreditation cycle ( 11,829 ) more than doubled the second cycle’s count ( 5,505 ). This indicates both growth in new institutions and increased participation by existing ones. Data from the All India Survey for Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22 lists 1,168 universities and 45,473 colleges nationally.
| Cycle | Colleges | Universities | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11,268 | 561 | 11,829 |
| 2 | 5,207 | 298 | 5,505 |
| 3 | 2,592 | 153 | 2,745 |
| 4 | 665 | 81 | 746 |
| 5 | 115 | 24 | 139 |
Upcoming Accreditation System Changes
NAAC plans to introduce a new ‘Basic or Binary Accreditation’ system. This will phase out traditional letter grades like A, A+, A++, B, and B+. Institutions will either receive accreditation or not, based on essential quality criteria. This reform aims to simplify the evaluation process.
Bribery Scandal and New Procedures
In February , the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested 10 individuals. These included members of a NAAC inspection committee. They faced charges of soliciting bribes from a private deemed-to-be university in Andhra Pradesh for inflated NAAC grades. The scandal temporarily halted the accreditation process. It prompted significant changes in the ‘standard operating procedures’ (SOPs) for inspection teams. New SOPs mandate online peer assessment for colleges and a hybrid approach for universities.
Review of Teacher Training Centres
A separate NAAC review assessed 66 Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centres (MMTTCs), formerly Academic Staff Colleges (ASCs). The review labeled 7 centers as ‘non-performers’ (scoring 40 or below) and 46 (70%) as ‘under-performers’. There are 116 MMTTCs nationally. The first 66 were established in 1986. NAAC began reviewing these centers in 2012.
Guru Jambheswar University of Science and Technology (GJUST), Haryana, scored highest with 71. The University of Rajasthan followed with 67. Underperforming centers included Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University, and Savitribai Phule Pune University. Non-performers included Mizoram University, Manipur University, and Patna University.
State-wise Accreditation Highlights
Maharashtra leads in total accredited institutions across five cycles, with 2,700 colleges and 41 universities. Karnataka follows with 1,136 , and Tamil Nadu with 1,036 . Among universities alone, Uttar Pradesh has the highest count with 56 NAAC-accredited institutions.