Existing norms duly address caste bias concerns, NAAC tells SC

Sub: Polity

Sec: National body

Context:

The Supreme Court of India directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to collate complaints of caste discrimination across higher education institutions (HEIs) in India.
The directive came in response to pleas filed by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, alleging rampant caste-based discrimination in universities, which they argued led to their children’s deaths.

NAAC’s Stand:

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), an autonomous body under the UGC, responded to the Supreme Court, stating that its existing measures for assessment and grading of HEIs address concerns related to caste-based discrimination, mental health, and equal opportunities.
NAAC emphasized its “holistic approach to accreditation,” involving detailed evaluation of the Self Study Report (SSR) and assessment of both qualitative and quantitative data.
The SSR includes 87 specific metrics related to mental well-being, equal opportunities, and student welfare, including the monitoring of quota implementation.
There are mandated grievance redressal mechanisms for sexual harassment and ragging.

About NAAC

It is an organization that assesses and accredits higher education institutions (HEIs) in India.
It is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
It is an outcome of the recommendations of the National Policy in Education (1986) which laid special emphasis on upholding the quality of higher education in India.
Headquartered in Bangalore.
The mandate of the NAAC as reflected in its vision statement is in making quality assurance an integral part of the functioning of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
The NAAC functions through its General Council (GC) and Executive Committee (EC) comprising of educational administrators, policymakers and senior academicians from the cross-section of Indian higher education system.
The ratings of institutions range from A++ to C. If an institution is graded D, it means it is not accredited.
Process for Accreditation:
- Input Based: NAAC relies heavily on self-assessment reports of applicant institutions.The first step is for an applicant institution to submit a self-study report of information related to quantitative and qualitative metrics.The data is then validated by NAAC expert teams, followed by peer team visits to the institutions.
- Future Perspective: Outcome-based approach, The NAAC is planning to adopt an outcome-based approach, according to it the emphasis would be given to finding out if students are equipped with relevant skills and academic abilities.

University Grants Commission (UGC)

The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India is a statutory body set up in 1956, and is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education.
Previously, UGC was formed in 1946 to oversee the work of the three Central Universities of Aligarh, Banaras and, Delhi. In 1947, a committee was entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with all the then existing Universities.
After independence, the University Education Commission was set up in 1948 under the Chairmanship of S. Radhakrishnan and it recommended that the UGC be reconstituted on the general model of the University Grants Commission of the United Kingdom.
The UGC was however, formally established in November 1956, by an Act of Parliament as a statutory body of the Government of India.

Important functions performed by the commission: