THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the Centre prepares to empanel various accrediting institutions through the proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, the state government is exploring a proposal to revive the Kerala State Assessment and Accreditation Council (KSAAC) as an autonomous accreditation agency. The move would enable the state to align quickly with the Centre’s proposed framework while also addressing Kerala’s gap in accrediting higher educational institutions.
According to official estimates, only 29% of colleges and 50% of universities in the state are currently accredited. The State Assessment and Accreditation Centre (SAAC), which replaced KSAAC, has been able to assess only a few institutions in the past eight years. The government is now considering reviving KSAAC with legal, academic and financial autonomy to strengthen quality assurance and align institutions with national and international standards.
The move comes as the VBSA draft bill lays down that the proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad - that would replace the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) - can empanel accrediting institutions to develop a “high-quality and high-integrity accreditation system”. The proposal before the government was mooted by R Jayaprakash, former member of the executive council of the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC), drawing on his experience as a member and coordinator of several NAAC peer teams. The report has been prepared in consultation with experts, including Jagannath Patil, senior advisor to NAAC and president of the Asia-Pacific Quality Network.
KSAAC was originally proposed in 2016 as an autonomous state-level quality assurance agency. The proposal, prepared by an expert committee under the KSHEC, received government approval. However, a policy shift in 2018 led to its replacement by the SAAC, which, the report argues, lacked the autonomy, operational capacity and institutional credibility required to function as a full-fledged accreditation body.
The report prepared by Jayaprakash says the proposed Central legislation marks a significant shift in India’s accreditation architecture by encouraging multiple accreditation agencies instead of relying solely on a single national body.
“Kerala is well placed to establish a credible state-level agency that complements the national framework, accelerates accreditation of institutions and provides continuous mentoring to improve quality,” Jayapraksash told TNIE.
According to highly placed sources, the proposal has been submitted to Higher Education Minister Roji M John and the government is actively exploring the feasibility of its implementation. Besides institutional assessment and accreditation, KSAAC could also undertake quality audits, develop state-specific benchmarks, maintain a digital quality dashboard, train peer reviewers and support institutions, particularly smaller and rural colleges, in meeting accreditation standards.
The report proposes a phased implementation beginning with the reconstitution of KSAAC and updating its assessment framework in line with the National Education Policy, UGC regulations and the proposed Viksit Bharat quality framework. It argues that a transparent, internationally aligned accreditation system would enhance the credibility of Kerala’s higher education institutions, strengthen public accountability and improve their global recognition.
Revival mode
Kerala plans to revive autonomous KSAAC
Only 29% of colleges currently accredited
Half of Kerala’s universities remain un-accredited
SAAC assessed only few institutions in eight years
Revival aims to improve quality and global recognition