(a) whether the quality and standard of higher educational institutions have
declined over the years;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government is contemplating to take any concrete steps
to improve the quality and standard of education in these institutions; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. SHASHI THAROOR)
(a) & (b):There has been an impression in certain quarters that quality and standards of
Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) are going down. However, quality being a very
relative and subjective attribute, it is very difficult to arrive at any definite
conclusion as to whether quality is declining or not. Some of the factors which might
have contributed to the impression that standards are declining, include the fact that an
exponential increase in the number of institutions in the last decade, both in the public
and private sector, has taken place. Some of them may have taken time to put quality
human and physical infrastructure in place. An unprecedented number of new central
institutions were also created in the 11th plan period by the Central Government.
The accreditation process is one of the most reliable and objective methods of assessment
of quality of an HEI. But in the absence of a mandatory accreditation framework, many
institutions are not applying for and obtaining accreditation.
(c) & (d):The Government has taken concrete steps to ensure that the independent quality
assurance framework is made mandatory through compulsory assessment and accreditation.
The National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill,
2010, which provides for making accreditation mandatory in order to ensure independent
credible quality assurance mechanism for higher educational institutions, has been
introduced in Parliament on 3rd May, 2010. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has
also notified the Mandatory Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Educational
Institutions Regulations, 2012 which makes it mandatory for higher educational
institutions to get themselves assessed and accreditated. The UGC (Promotion &
Maintenance of Standards of Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Educational
Institutions) Regulations, 2012 have been approved by the UGC in order to raise standard
of higher education in Indian universities by collaborating with the best institutions in
the world.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also approved the Regulations
to make accreditation mandatory for technical educational institutions.