Distant observers of higher education are astonished that the best higher education institutions in India are neither under the purview of the national level regulatory bodies nor are accredited by the national accrediting agencies. These include IITs, IIMs, IIITs, IISERs, NITs and many more. This is one of the strangest ironies and oddities of our higher education system. Permitted to self-regulate, they have attained excellence by global benchmarks, though they have not cared for institutional accreditation. Efforts are now on to bring them under the national qualification, credit and accreditation frameworks. They have succumbed to suasions and circumstantial compulsions.
The move may address the oddity, but the moot question is how would it impinge on their excellence? Academic excellence is an outcome of a continuous and persistent process involving strategies, initiatives and efforts to set benchmarks and achieve them sustainably. It essentially involves enhancing the quality of education and research within the academic institution. While institutional leadership, governance and management play a pivotal role in promoting excellence, the larger socioeconomic context and external environment are equally vital. Further, the dynamic nature and competitive landscape coupled with the compulsion for equity and inclusion make the task arduous and challenging.
At the fundamental level, academic excellence, reputation and brand-building revolve around funds, faculty and freedom. They are needed to create, maintain and effectively utilise the academic, physical, digital and intellectual infrastructure and resources. These constitute necessary conditions, but may not be sufficient in themselves. No amount of funding can guarantee academic excellence unless the institutional leadership, management and governance are centred around integrity, transparency and academic priorities. Their academic standing, respect for diversity, appreciation for divergent points of view and commitment to excellence ought to be the hallmarks of leaders. So is the goal orientation and efficiency of operation. After all, how many resources one has is not as important as how efficiently they are put to use.
Faculty and researchers are essential, but their qualifications, quality and commitment to teaching, research and community engagement are more important than their numbers. The system, structure and processes must ensure that merit supersedes all other considerations and compulsions. The need and urgency for creating a culture of excellence is no less significant. Being the single most important determinant of academic excellence, faculty needs to be valued and invested in heavily. They ought to be provided opportunities for professional growth and continuous knowledge and skill enhancement opportunities. Supporting faculty in their pursuit of advanced degrees and encouraging research and publication can enhance teaching quality and contribute to the institution‘s reputation.
Academic, administrative and financial autonomy is crucial for promoting excellence. Autonomy does not mean freedom to do whatever one likes to do. It must, in fact, mean freedom to do what one is expected to do. Higher educational institutions, public or private, are expected to serve an important public purpose and that too as not-for-profit entities. Accountability is thus as essential as autonomy and is becoming quite consequential as higher education governance is shifting from collegiality to managerialism. Importantly, process-based and procedure-oriented accountability rather than enhancing excellence works the other way around. The quality of higher education is fund inversely proportional to the intensity of regulation for the simple reason that tighter regulation demands compliance, conformity, obedience and obedience and thus kills creativity and innovation.
An outcome-based, ethical, objective and transparent assessment and accreditation of higher educational institutions by an independent body has, therefore, been considered essential across the world. India has been no exception, but the agencies created for the purpose have neither been independent nor autonomous in the true sense of the word. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is established as an inter-university hub and is strictly controlled by the University Grants Commission (UGC). So is the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), though it has recently been reorganised as a society and separated from its founding agency, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Accreditation plays a crucial role in building academic excellence by fostering continuous improvement and accountability. Accreditation serves as a critical benchmark for academic institutions, validating their commitment to high standards of education. Accrediting agencies evaluate institutions based on predetermined criteria, examining aspects such as curriculum, faculty qualifications, infrastructure, and student outcomes. By meeting or exceeding these standards, institutions demonstrate their dedication to academic quality. Accreditation assures students, employers, and the wider community that the institution has undergone rigorous evaluation and is committed to delivering excellence in education. Acceptability and success of accreditation, however, warrant the utmost degree of objectivity, transparency and integrity.
Most IITs, IIMs and institutions like them have attained a higher level of excellence compared to their counterpart universities. The differences in their performance are explained by three significant factors—the extent of funding, disciplinary varieties, and intensity of regulation. The situation would have been the opposite if accreditation had been as effective as espoused. This essentially means that the certificate of accreditation should not be as important as the process that institutions are allowed to adopt and implement to attain excellence.
The driving factor probably lies in establishing clear academic standards and maintaining them with consistency, rigour, and relevance in education. By setting high standards, institutions challenge their students and teachers to realise their full potential and, thus foster excellence. Regular review and alignment of academic standards with industry requirements and societal needs ensure that graduates are well-prepared to navigate the evolving professional landscape.
Accreditation for the sake of accreditation may get a certification of accreditation, but may neither improve quality nor enhance excellence in higher education. As institutions of national importance are being bought under the ambit of national accreditation, it is important that the higher education accreditation system, rather than taming them conform to the laid down processes and requirements, make use of the opportunity to enable universities and other higher educational institution to learn and implement their best practices.
Furqan Qamar, a former Advisor for education in the Planning Commission, is a Professor in the Faculty of Management Studies of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.