Internal Quality Assurance Cell :
IQAC
In pursuance of its Action Plan for performance evaluation, assessment and accreditation and quality up-gradation of institutions of higher education, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bangalore proposes that every accredited institution should establish an Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) as a post-accreditation quality sustenance measure. Since quality enhancement is a continuous process, the IQAC will become a part of the institution’s system and work towards realisation of the goals of quality enhancement and sustenance. The prime task of the IQAC is to develop a system for conscious, consistent and catalytic improvement in the overall performance of institutions. For this, during the post-accreditation period, it will channelize all efforts and measures of the institution towards promoting its holistic academic excellence.
For more details, refer revised IQAC Guidelines.
Strategies :
IQAC shall evolve mechanisms and procedures for:
- Ensuring timely, efficient and progressive performance of academic, administrative and financial tasks
- The relevance and quality of academic and research programmes
- Equitable access to and affordability of academic programmes for various sections of society
- Optimization and integration of modern methods of teaching and learning
- The credibility of evaluation procedures
- Ensuring the adequacy, maintenance and functioning of the support structure and services
- Research sharing and networking with other institutions in India and abroad.
Functions :
Some of the functions expected of the IQAC are:
- Development and application of quality benchmarks/parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution
- Facilitating the creation of a learner-centric environment conducive to quality education and faculty maturation to adopt the required knowledge and technology for participatory teaching and learning process
- Arrangement for feedback response from students, parents and other stakeholders on quality-related institutional processes
- Dissemination of information on various quality parameters of higher education
- Organization of inter and intra institutional workshops, seminars on quality related themes and promotion of quality circles
- Documentation of the various programmes/activities leading to quality improvement.
- Acting as a nodal agency of the Institution for coordinating quality-related activities, including adoption and dissemination of best practices.
- Development and maintenance of institutional database through MIS for the purpose of maintaining /enhancing the institutional quality.
- Development of Quality Culture in the institution.
- Preparation of the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per guidelines and parameters of NAAC, to be submitted to NAAC
Benefits :
IQAC will facilitate / contribute:
- Ensure heightened level of clarity and focus in institutional functioning towards quality enhancement
- Ensure internalization of the quality culture.
- Ensure enhancement and coordination among various activities of the institution and institutionalize all good practices.
- Provide a sound basis for decision-making to improve institutional functioning.
- Act as a dynamic system for quality changes in HEIs.
- Build an organised methodology of documentation and internal communication.
Composition :
IQAC may be constituted in every institution under the Chairmanship of the Head of the institution with heads of important academic and administrative units and a few teachers and a few distinguished educationists and representatives of local management and stakeholders