BHUBANESWAR: Although three public universities in the state have been re-evaluated by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and assigned new grades, two of them are yet to put them in public domain.
In the last six months, three public universities - Utkal, Berhampur and Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo universities - underwent a third cycle of assessment by NAAC and scored A, B and A grades respectively. While Utkal’s grade slipped to ‘A’ from an ‘A+’, Berhampur university’s grade too came down to ‘B’ from an ‘A’. But, Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo university improved its grade from ‘B+’ to A.
However, though Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo university has reflected the new grade on its website, the other two are yet to do so. In fact, Berhampur university has removed the grade from its website and just mentions ‘accredited by NAAC’. Similarly, Utkal university continues to write ‘A+’, violating the NAAC norms.
“Every new academic session, the students first go to the institute’s website for admission notifications and other details. Putting up a wrong NAAC grade or not putting it up at all will only give out wrong information,” said Sadashiva Mohapatra, an academician.
Even as the University Grants Commission (UGC) does not regulate putting up NAAC grades on an institution’s official website, every university does so as it helps students figure out all the details like quality of education, research, infrastructure, etc.
NAAC, meanwhile, has warned institutions against misleading or providing false information to the public and students about their accreditation status. “Institutions accredited by NAAC, if found misleading or providing false information to misguide the public and students about their accreditation status, are liable to face stringent action by NAAC,” a cautionary notice on its website read.
The council further advised institutions not to use the status of accreditation after the validity period is over. “This amounts to misleading the stakeholders in general and students and the public in particular. Institutions are liable to face stringent action,” it stated
While vice-chancellor of Utkal university Prof Sabita Acharya could not be contacted, official sources said the university has sought a re-assessment of its grade and waiting the NAAC report . Berhampur University V-C Prof Geetanjali Dash said the university has decided to just put out the information that it is accredited by NAAC. “Berhampur university’s academic performance is excellent. The dip in NAAC grade will not have an impact on its academics or students enrollment,” she stated.