Bengaluru(Press Release): The National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP-2020), has proposed the National Accreditation Council (NAC) as a meta-accrediting body. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has already appointed a committee to bring synergy between NAAC, the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), and the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) to propose a common framework and a road map for NAC.
The NEP-2020 envisages a stage-wise mechanism for granting graded autonomy to colleges and in the long run, accreditation will become a binary process. Accreditation of institutions will be based primarily on basic norms, public self-disclosure, good governance, and outcomes, and it will be carried out by an independent ecosystem of accrediting institutions, supervised and overseen by NAC. The license to function as an accreditor shall also be awarded by NAC to an appropriate number of institutions. In the short term, a robust system of graded accreditation needs to be established with specific benchmarks for all HEIs to achieve set levels of quality, self-governance, and autonomy. This will lead to several reforms in the Assessment and Accreditation (A&A) system. The recently released NAAC White Paper has proposed a road map in this direction.
Dr Bhushan Patwardhan, Chairman of the Executive Committee, NAAC has stated that it is necessary to generate more awareness about the proposed reforms, to assert the importance of accreditation, and ensure improvement of educational quality. He has emphasized that more HEIs should be encouraged to come forward for accreditation. The NAAC has taken steps to increase the number of accredited HEIs. Dr S.C. Sharma, Director NAAC, stated, “Today on the day auspicious of Vijaya Dashami, theNAAC has decided to establish a Handholding and Mentoring Cell (HMC) to encourage more HEIs to come forward for the A&A process.”
The NAAC has already issued a cautionary note warning that some agencies or consultancy firms are approaching HEIs with proposals to help in getting them accreditation and simultaneously making various commitments and promises.
The Council has not authorized any agents or consultants for accreditation work. The NAAC expects that an institution must itself complete the preparation for accreditation and not try to outsource it. HEIs are advised to avoid entertaining such unauthorized agents. Dr Patwardhan has urgently appealed that HEIs should desist from associating with such dubiousagents/consultancy services. They should take advantage of the authentic services provided by the NAAC-HMC initiative.
NAAC-HMC is expected toguideHEIs across the geographical area,especially from underserved remote areas. Those HEIs completing at least two cycles of accreditation with consistently high grades (Mentor HEIs) may volunteer and participate in this initiative.Dr Sharma has appealed to and invited HEIs, especially non-accredited ones (Mentee HEIs) who need guidance and help, to register themselves by submitting an application in the prescribed format available on the NAAC website.
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Authorities know about Maoists' weapons, they will be brought following due process: CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru, Jan 10: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said authorities are in the know about the place where the weapons of six Maoists, who have surrendered, are kept, and that they will be brought following due process.
He also defended the Maoists surrendering before the government, which has come under criticism from the opposition BJP, stating that the intention of the administration is to end Naxalism and the people involved in such activities should come to the mainstream giving up arms.
"Weapons are there. Their mahajar will be done and they will be brought. We know where it is. After mahajar it will be brought," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said that the government's intention is that there should be no Naxalism, and it wants any agitation to be peaceful.
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"There should be no armed agitation. Babasaheb Ambedkar too said the same thing that constitutional methods should be used. There should be no usage of unconstitutional methods. No one should take law into their hands in the name of protest or agitation," he added.
Earlier in the day, Home Minister G Parameshwara said that six surrendered Maoists have not handed over their weapons, and the police are working to locate and recover them from the forest where they are believed to have been disposed of.
Noting that one Maoist, expelled from the surrendered group, is still at large and efforts are underway to trace him, the minister said there is no one else involved in Naxal activities in the state.
To a question about one Maoist being still at large, the CM said, "We are not sure whether one more Maoist is there are not. If he is there, I appeal to him too, to come to the mainstream."
To a question by farmers' protest against the central government, demanding for a 'legal MSP guarantee', Siddaramaiah said, "The Government of India is not a government that is pro farmer. Farmers are protesting, demanding to provide a legal framework for MSP, but they (govt) are not ready to do so. They are not agreeing to farmers' demands; this is an inhuman and anti-farmers government."
Asked about BJP planning 'Bhima Sangama' campaign as part of which party leaders will have food with Dalit families, Siddaramaiah, calling it a "joke", said, BJP's feelings and respect towards Ambedkar is known from Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement (referring to his alleged comments during a debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha last month).
"The BJP and its leaders speak about changing the Constitution. RSS leadership and Savarkar from Hindu Mahasabha had opposed the Constitution. While Congress is committed to the Constitution, we are protecting and implementing the Constitution and its objectives," he said.
Stating that he held discussions with the protesting Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA workers) from Karnataka, demanding a fixed monthly honorarium and other benefits, the CM said, he has told them the government will ensure that they get Rs 10,000 every month including incentives, and they have said that they will withdraw the protest.
"Currently Rs 8,000 is being given to them. It will be made Rs 10,000, including incentives. For those to whom the incentives don't add up to a total of Rs 10,000, we will give it," he said, adding that the fiscal position of the state is good.
