An academic audit awaits all the public universities and autonomous colleges in Odisha which will help them in applying for National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grades and National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking.

Arun Sahoo, Higher Education Minister, and Secretary Saswat Mishra shared this information during a workshop on 'NAAC accreditation, NIRF ranking, autonomous status, academic audit' organised by the department at Rama Devi Women's University on Wednesday, June 1.

In the month of July, the process will commence and 22 auditors, who are academic experts, have been roped in with regard to this.

The Minister stressed the need for radical changes in the higher education system in the state to make it student-centric. "Although there have been many positive changes in the higher education sector, much more needs to be done," he said.

Mishra appealed to authorities of all the universities and 32 autonomous colleges to make the higher education system teaching-learning centric. "Higher educational institutions should transform themselves keeping in tune with the changes so that they remain relevant today," he said.

Among others, Vice-Chairman of the Odisha State Higher Education Council (OSHEC) Prof Ashok Das and VC of RD Women's University Prof Aparajita Choudhury were present.