In a sweeping reform of its accreditation process, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has dismissed nearly 900 assessors responsible for evaluating higher education institutions.
This move follows concerns over grading inconsistencies and recent corruption allegations, as reported by The Indian Express. NAAC assessors, who are typically academics forming ‘peer teams’ to inspect institutions, play a critical role in determining accreditation grades.
According to sources, assessors were removed over the past year, with the most significant action taking place after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested 10 individuals in Andhra Pradesh on February 1 for allegedly securing favourable NAAC grades through bribery.
The arrested individuals include six assessors and office-bearers of the Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation.
The Indian Express reports that NAAC began reviewing grading practices in April-May 2023 after noticing an unusual number of institutions receiving top-tier A++ grades. The review focused on cases where institutions jumped two or more grades between assessment cycles or received A++ on their first evaluation.
Sources indicate that in about 400 reviewed cases, nearly half of the institutions saw a downgrade. Some assessors were removed for not actively participating in assessments, while others were found to have awarded high scores without sufficient justification.
NAAC Director Ganesan Kannabiran stated that the council is working toward stricter evaluation measures, including virtual assessments for colleges and a hybrid system for universities starting in March.
Additionally, a shift to a binary accreditation system — categorising institutions as ‘accredited’, ‘awaiting accreditation’, or ‘not accredited’ — is expected to take effect in May.
