At least 66 per cent of universities and 78 per cent of colleges in Gujarat, both state and private, do not possess the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grading.
This shocking revelation came to the fore in response to a question posed in the Lok Sabha. It was found that out of 83 universities in Gujarat, 55 do not hold the NAAC grade, whether it is a renewed or initial cycle grade.
Similarly, among the 2,267 colleges affiliated with different universities in the state, a significant number of 1,767 colleges lack NAAC accreditation.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Parthiv Raj Kathwadia pointed out that universities and colleges in Gujarat have been neglecting to apply for or renew their NAAC grading, despite it being a mandatory rule set by the University Grants Commission (UGC). He emphasised that some universities have let their NAAC cycle expire for the past two to three years without taking any action to reapply or submit a self-study report.
This reluctance indicates that these institutions fear receiving low NAAC grades due to issues such as poor teaching, insufficient manpower, inadequate infrastructure, and shortcomings in academic criteria.
Kathwadia stated the situation is a testament to Gujarat’s declining academic standards, even as the state government boasts about providing top-class education in its institutes.
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