IQAC Objectives

 IQAC – Vision

To ensure quality culture as the prime concern for the Higher Education Institutions through institutionalizing and internalizing all the initiatives taken with internal and external support.

Objective

The primary aim of IQAC is

·         To develop a system for conscious, consistent and catalytic action to improve the academic and administrative performance of the institution.

·         To promote measures for institutional functioning towards quality enhancement through internalization of quality culture and institutionalization of best practices.

Strategies

IQAC shall evolve mechanisms and procedures for

a) Ensuring timely, efficient and progressive performance of academic, administrative and financial tasks;

b)  Relevant and quality academic/ research programmes;

c)  Equitable access to and affordability of academic programmes for various sections of society;

d) Optimization and integration of modern methods of teaching and learning;

e)  The credibility of assessment and evaluation process;

f)  Ensuring the adequacy, maintenance and proper allocation of support structure and services;

g)  Sharing of research findings and networking with other institutions in India and abroad.     

Functions

Some of the functions expected of the IQAC are:

a)    Development and application of quality benchmarks

b)   Parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution;

c)    Facilitating the creation of a learner-centric environment conducive to quality education and faculty maturation to adopt the required knowledge and technology for participatory teaching and learning process;

d)   Collection and analysis of feedback from all stakeholders on quality-related institutional processes;

d) Dissemination of information on various quality parameters to all stakeholders;

e)  Organization of inter and intra institutional workshops, seminars on quality related themes and promotion of quality circles;

f)  Documentation of the various programmes/activities leading to quality improvement;

g)  Acting as a nodal agency of the Institution for coordinating quality-related activities, including adoption and dissemination of best practices;

h) Development and maintenance of institutional database through MIS for the purpose of maintaining /enhancing the institutional quality;

i)  Periodical conduct of Academic and Administrative Audit and its follow-up

j)   Preparation and submission of the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per guidelines and parameters of NAAC.

Benefits

IQAC will facilitate / contribute to

a)        Ensure clarity and focus in institutional functioning towards quality enhancement;

b)        Ensure internalization of the quality culture;

b)    Ensure enhancement and coordination among various activities of the institution and institutionalize all good practices;

c)    Provide a sound basis for decision-making to improve institutional functioning;

d)    Act as a dynamic system for quality changes in HEIs;

          e)    Build an organised methodology of documentation and internal communication.

Operational Features of the IQAC

Quality assurance is a by-product of ongoing efforts to define the objectives of an institution, to have a work plan to achieve them and to specify the checks and balances to evaluate the degree to which each of the tasks is fulfilled. Hence devotion and commitment to improvement rather than mere institutional control is the basis for devising procedures and instruments for assuring quality. The right balance between the health and growth of an institution needs to be struck. The IQAC has to ensure that whatever is done in the institution for “education” is done efficiently and effectively with high standards. In order to do this, the IQAC will have to first establish procedures and modalities to collect data and information on various aspects of institutional functioning.

The coordinator of the IQAC will have a major role in implementing these functions. The IQAC may derive major support from the already existing units and mechanisms that contribute to the functions listed above. The operational features and functions discussed so far are broad-based to facilitate institutions towards academic excellence and institutions may adapt them to their specific needs.

The Institutions are requested to submit the AQAR after one year from date of Accreditation every year. A functional Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and timely submission of Annual Quality Assurance Reports (AQARs) are the Minimum Institutional Requirements (MIR) to volunteer for second, third or subsequent cycle’s accreditation.  During the institutional visit the NAAC peer teams will interact with the IQACs to know the progress, functioning as well as quality sustenance initiatives undertaken by them.

The Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) may be the part of the Annual Report. The AQAR shall be approved by the statutory bodies of the HEIs (such as Governing Council/ Executive Council/Board of Management) for the follow up action for necessary quality enhancement measures.

The IQACs may create its exclusive window tab on its institutional website for keeping the records/files of NAAC, Peer Team Reports, AQAR, and Certificate of Accreditation Outcomes and regularly upload/ report on its activities, as well as for hosting the AQAR.

Revised Accreditation Framework

NAAC has launched Revised Accreditation Framework since July, 2017 and hence AQAR format also modified, in cognizance with the new methodology. The tools and parameters are designed in the new AQAR format are in such a way that the preparation of AQAR would facilitate the HEI’s for upcoming cycles of Accreditation. Data collected/prepared infuses quality enhancement measures undertaken during the years. Further, it also adds quality enhancement and quality sustenance measures undertaken in teaching, learning, research, extension and support activities of the Institution. It is hoped that new AQAR would facilitate Educational Institutions for creating a good database at Institutional level for enhancing the quality culture.

As per the Revised Accreditation Framework (RAF), the NAAC Accredited institutions need to submit the AQAR online. NAAC is in the process of ICT integration in Assessment and Accreditation. The login id for the online submission for AQAR submission will be the e-mail id used for the IIQA. The AQAR submission is part of the post accreditation module, in due course of time.  NAAC portal will have the facility to submit the AQAR online and Institutions will receive automated response.

The Higher Education Institutions need not submit the printed/hard copy of AQAR to NAAC.

Mandatory Submission of AQAR by IQAC

The Executive Committee of NAAC has decided that regular submission of AQARs is mandatory for 2^nd and subsequent cycles of accreditation with effect from 16^th September 2016:

The following are the pre-requisites for submission of IIQA for all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) opting for 2^nd and subsequent cycles of A& A:  

·         Having a functional IQAC.

·         The minutes of IQAC meeting and compliance to the decisions should be uploaded on the institutional website.

·         Mandatory submission of AQARs on a regular basis for institutions undergoing the second and subsequent cycles of Assessment and Accreditation by NAAC.

·         Upload the AQAR’s on institutional website for access to all stakeholders.