The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India to assess and accredit institutions of higher education in the country. It is an outcome of the recommendations of the National Policy in Education (1986) which laid special emphasis on upholding the quality of higher education in India. To address the issues of quality, the National Policy on Education (1986) and the Plan of Action (POA-1992) advocated the establishment of an independent national accreditation body. Consequently, the NAAC was established in 1994 with its headquarters at Bangalore.
NAAC Mission
To make quality the defining element of higher education in India through a combination of self and external quality evaluation, promotion and sustenance initiatives.
NAAC Objectives
• To arrange for periodic assessment and accreditation of institutions of higher education or units thereof, or specific academic programmes or projects;
• To stimulate the academic environment for promotion of quality of teaching-learning and research in higher education institutions;
• To encourage self-evaluation, accountability, autonomy and innovations in higher education;
• To undertake quality-related research studies, consultancy and training programmes;
• To collaborate with other stakeholders of higher education for quality evaluation, promotion and sustenance.
International Cooperation
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council is a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA International Quality Group), the Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN) and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE).