What is meant by University Recognition and Accreditation Status
University recognition & accreditation
One of the key considerations while applying to a university or college at undergraduate or postgraduate level is whether it is good enough to pursue an educational programme. With new institutes opening every other day in India, determining the value or reputation of an educational institute has become all the more important. Also, these institutes would ultimately form the foundation ground on which the student’s entire future depends and so it is all the more important to ensure that they are the best in all respects.
But one of the key questions is how to determine the worth of an institution? The answer to the question is simple – by checking if the university or college in which a student is applying is recognised and accredited.
The terms “recognition” and “accreditation” of a higher education institution are often used interchangeably by students. However, there are some key differences between the two terms that candidates should consider and look for in a higher education institution at the time of admission.
What is recognition of a University?
The basic definition of recognition is when a university is acknowledged for its existence, validity, and legality.
As part of the university recognition process, every varsity in India has to undergo an inspection conducted by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Under the inspection, a university is evaluated on different grounds such as its curriculum, infrastructure, faculty and staff, policies and procedures, etc. UGC recognition for a university means fulfillment of all the minimum education requirements. The degrees granted by such universities are also recognised and accepted by all organisations in India.
It may be noted that in India it is mandatory for every university to attain UGC recognition and not all universities are granted the same. Only a few universities out of the many inspected are given the UGC recognition. The applications of the other universities are either rejected or institutions are given time to meet the compliance requirement.
Any higher education institution that is not recognised by UGC cannot operate as a university and is not allowed to grant degrees. Any such institution that is not UGC recognised and is granting degrees to students is considered as a fake university. UGC periodically publishes a list of fake universities so that students are informed about the same and refrain from getting admission in such universities. Currently, there are a total of 23 fake universities in India.
What is accreditation of a University/College?
Accreditation is basically a quality assurance process under which different student and staff related services (such as quality of academic programmes, staff, etc) offered by a college/ university are evaluated by an accreditation body. The body determines whether the higher education institution meets the required standards and grants accreditation status to it accordingly.
In India, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and National Board of Accreditation (NBA) are the organisations that grant accreditation status. While NAAC provides accreditation to colleges and universities, NBA conducts accreditation of technical programmes offered at technical institutions.
For accreditation of colleges and universities in India, a two-step approach is adopted by NAAC. In the first step, a higher education institution is required to seek Institutional Eligibility for Quality Assessment (IEQA). The second step is the assessment and accreditation of the institute under the following grades:
| Grade |
Status |
| A++ |
Accredited |
| A+ |
Accredited |
| A |
Accredited |
| B++ |
Accredited |
| B+ |
Accredited |
| B |
Accredited |
| C |
Accredited |
| D |
Not Accredited |
The grades are assigned to higher education institutions on the basis of overall score that they secure during the accreditation and assessment process.
There are seven criteria that form the part of NAAC’s assessment procedure as mentioned below:
| Curricular aspects |
Teaching-learning and evaluation |
| Research, consultancy and extension |
Infrastructure and learning resources |
| Student support and progression |
Governance and leadership |
| Innovative practices |
|
It may be noted that in India, it is mandatory for all institutions to get accreditation status after two batches have graduated or after six years of existence, whichever is earlier. Once accreditation is awarded, it is valid for five years after which an institution needs to reapply for accreditation status.
As per UGC Regulations 2012, the process of accreditation aims at achieving the following objectives:
• Advancing academic quality
• Enabling students and other stakeholders to make informed choices with regard to higher educational institutions
• To facilitate higher educational institutions to enhance quality by benchmarking uniform reference points with respect to academic standards
• To facilitate higher educational institutions to acquire international recognition and cross-border collaborations
With that said, it is highly important for a student to evaluate a university or college’s value on two parameters – recognition and accreditation. Recognition of a university by UGC assures fulfillment of all minimum education requirements. On the other hand, grade awarded to a college or university through accreditation process shows how well an institution is able to maintain the required standards in terms of the quality of education, faculty, etc.
Also Read:
Understanding UGC & its 15 prominent professional councils
14 Colleges of Excellence recognised by UGC
15 Universities with Potential for Excellence: UGC
UGC Approved Central Universities – North India
