DRAFT

Guidelines for Mentorship of Technical Institutions of West Bengal for Assessment and

Accreditation by National Assessment and Accreditation Council

Roadmap for Assessment and Accreditation

Stage 1:

❖ State Level Mentors (SLMs) selected by the Higher Education Department(HED), Govt. Of W B.

❖ Each SLM to be in charge of Mentorship of Technical Institutions (TIs) in a number of districts as

stipulated by the HED. TIs located in those districts to be mentored by the concerned SLMs.

❖ SLMs need to:

• Initially reach out to them over telephone

• State the intention of the HED, Govt. of WB regarding the urgency to address the issue of Assessment

and Accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions(HEIs) by National Assessment and Accreditation

Council(NAAC)

• Also need to inform that Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) by

National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is not an option but a compulsion

• Explain the process of mentoring TIs in the mentor-mentee scheme to handhold them to progress

• Initiate preliminary conversation with the concerned SLMs regarding creation of an interactive

platform

Step 1: Creation of WhatsApp Group:

Creation of WhatsApp Groups for each district, consisting of

i. Officials from the State Govt.

ii. SLM(s) associated with the concerned district

iii. Officials of TIs of that district (ALL TIs MUST BE ADDED)

• SLMs to organise a virtual meet with the members of the WA Group formed for the district with the

above three categories of members at a day and time convenient for all
 • SLMs to discuss and share information regarding the TIs of that district in general and how they can

be approached, that is, primary telephonic conversation with officials of the TIs regarding the intent

of the Govt.

• SLMs to have the discussion with TIs of concerned districts and about the purpose of the WA Group

where they will be required to join

Step 2: Initial interaction through WhatsApp Group:

• Direct and interactive communication between the State level mentors and State level officials with

the nodal persons of the participating institute through WhatsApp communication

• Knowledge sharing of NAAC Assessment and Accreditation (A and A) processes, policies,

procedures, models and systems

• A general discussion on TIs which are interested in NAAC A and A and some which have and/intend

to be in the process through National Board of Accreditation (NBA)

• Workshop mode

• Minutes of the Meeting need to be recorded

• TIs to be informed that they need to keep an eye on the posts in the concerned WA Group for

information and instructions from relevant quarters, and also post their queries and feedback in the

same

Step 3: Circulation of Google Form:

• Circulation of a Google Form seeking information and details of their past accreditation and present

status to be circulated in the WA Group CLEARLY MENTIONING THE DEADLINE FOR

SUBMISSION of the filled up form

• specific questionnaire for baseline data collection pertaining to

i. Name of the Technical Institution

ii. Postal Address

iii. Head of the Institution with contact number, email

iv. Any one other official from the TI (designated by the Head of the Institution to

communicate)with contact number, email

 v. Intends to go for the NAAC A and A or any other Accrediting body, such as NBA

vi. Last accredited day, year by NAAC; Cycle; Grade and Score

vii. Present status, stating specifically the exact stage the TIs are in, that is, as of date

viii. Whether Accredited or Not Accredited as of date

Step 5: Analysis of Data Collected:

• Importantly, need for Identification and recording of the responsive and non-responsive Institutes as

to the NAAC accreditation process.

• If TI has not responded to the Google Form, need to know the reason by constructive communication

to be initiated to understand the problems they are facing related to the process of NAAC A and A.

• All the aforementioned eight inputs received from the TIs as well as the non-responsive ones to be

documented in excel sheets by SLMs and in the WA Group itself for ensuring transparency and for

TIs to suggest modifications.

Step 6: Follow-up Interface with TIs

• Follow-up of the previous exercises and interactive session with TIs

• Video Conference/Meeting of all members of the WA Groups to generate awareness

• Address the areas that require more attention

• Motivational sessions, Online workshops, meetings/interactions in periodic intervals with participating

institutes to be held initially, followed by physical visits and interaction with NAAC A and A team of

the institutes for feedback and further discussion.

Stage 1: Outcome

• Identification of responsive and non-responsive institutes in the mentor mentee scheme

• Initiate communication for the non-responsive institutes

• Institute-wise identification of critical issues based on discussions and baseline data

• Design of strategies for those critical Indicators/ issues

Stage 1: Risk/Assumptions
 • Lack of interest and response by selected Technical Institutions

• Response may not be as per expected requirements

• The deadline stipulated and timeline spelt out not adhered to

• Information furnished by Technical Institutions may be conjectural and often on the basis of

unsupported records and documents

• After gap/issue identification it may be a challenge to resolve and formulate strategies for the same

Roadmap for Assessment and Accreditation

Stage 2

Based on the analysis/assessment of data obtained through baseline data collection through Google Form in

Stage 1, the Technical Institutions can be categorized as:

Category 1: Technical Institutions appearing for 1st cycle of NAAC

Category 2: Technical Institutions previously accredited by NAAC but non-accredited as of date

Category 3: Technical Institutions went through the A and A process and are ACCREDITED by

NAAC as of now

Category 1: Technical Institutions appearing for 1st cycle of NAAC

Strategies & Recommendations

1. Functional IQAC(Institutional Quality Assurance Cell):

• Formation of an IQAC in accordance with the provisions of the NAAC Manual, with an IQAC

Coordinator and a team

• A NAAC Team with a Coordinator from a pool of senior teachers.

2. Selecting Conveners from the pool of teachers for the 7 criteria of NAACviz.:

i) Curricular Aspects

ii) Teaching-learning and Evaluation

iii) Research, Innovations and Extension

iv) Infrastructure and Learning Resources

v) Student Support and Progression

 vi) Governance, Leadership and Management and

vii) Institutional Values and Best Practices

• Each group handling each of the above criteria to be led by a Convener,

• Each group should have at least 3 other teachers/supporting staff for compilation of data and

for preparation of the documents as required (both quantitative and qualitative aspects).

3. Maintaining Outcome Based Education (OBE) system

• Preparation of course files by teachers is mandatory.

4. Syllabi have to be framed in such a manner that Course Outcomes (COs) are defined in observance of

latest Bloom’s Taxonomy guidelines (for use of verbs).

5. Question papers are to be mapped with the respective COs

6. Answer scripts evaluation to be done mapping with COs and CO attainment levels need to be

calculated for each course, which, again have to be mapped with the Programme Outcome (POs) or

Graduate attributes and attainment of POs need to be calculated.

7. Feedbacks from stakeholders such as students, alumni and employers need to be regularly collected

on specific set of questionnaires, analysed thereafter.

8. Board of Studies (BOS) meetings and Governing Body (GB) meetings (For autonomous colleges

Academic Council also) and IQAC meetings are to be held periodically.

9. Academic Audits are to be done by Academic Audit Committee and reports prepared, where one

member must be from outside the institution.

10. Institute must identify and adopt two BEST PRACTICES in each academic year and continue doing

so.

11. Digital library, Digital Classroom, Result analysis of the students, Interaction with alumni,

Establishment of Innovation and/or Entrepreneurship Cell and are some other things that need to be

considered also.

12. Workshop to spread awareness about application for NAAC Accreditation: An online/offline

workshop to be organised for the principals/Coordinators of the selected institutions with an objective

to increase the awareness of NAAC accreditation, application process and its benefits amongst all the

NAAC accredited colleges or have applied for NAAC in the past.

Category 2: Technical Institutions previously accredited by NAAC but non-accredited as of date

Strategies & Recommendations

1. Identify the reasons as to why the TI which had been accredited, often may be more than once, did not

apply for reaccreditation

2. Of crucial importance is the fact that even while having the potential and having gone through the

entire process of A and A and actually having been accredited, the TI fell behind

3. Institute wise Gap Analysis: Identification and assessment of Key Indicators having low scores

obtained in last NAAC process.

4. Provide motivation, design strategies to mitigate the gaps identified and provide guidelines for going

ahead for NAAC accreditation.

5. Study and analysis of Quality Indicator Framework (QIF) of NAAC Accreditation: Study and analysis

of 32 key indicator wise score appearing under 7 main categories obtained in last NAAC accreditation

process

Category 3: Technical Institutions went through the A and A process and are ACCREDITED by

NAAC as of now

Strategies & Recommendations

1. Study and analysis of Quality Indicator Framework (QIF) of NAAC Accreditation: Study and analysis

of 32 key indicator wise score appearing under 7 main categories obtained in last NAAC A and A process

2. Institute wise Gap Analysis: Identification and assessment of Key Indicators having low scores

obtained in last NAAC A and A process.

3. Provide motivation, design strategies to mitigate the gaps identified and provide guidelines for

obtaining higher score in the upcoming NAAC A and A process.

4. Motivation for apply for other Ranking/accreditation such as NIRF and NBA etc.

5. Help other two categories of TIs to get accredited by sharing own experience
Focussed attention on Technical Institutions for three categories under the mentor mentee scheme

➢ Category 1

• Identification of TIs

• Pinpointing their strength rather than their weaknesses

• Motivational exercises so as to encourage them to participate and to at least engage in the process of

NAAC Accreditation

• Handhold them by keeping all windows open so that they can communicate freely with SLMs to gain

confidence and move on

• Mentors to help these TIs follow the relevant Manuals, Benchmarks, SOPs and Templates

➢ Category 2

• Identify the reasons for not going for the A and A even while having been accredited earlier and

handhold such TIs

• Motivational exercises so as to encourage them to engage in the process of NAAC Accreditation

• Handhold them by keeping all windows open so that they can communicate freely with SLMs to gain

confidence and move on from their status of non-accreditation

• Mentors to help these TIs follow the relevant Manuals, Benchmarks, SOPs and Templates in order to

equip them with the revised requirements with which they need to be familiarised

➢ Category 3

• Mentorship Guide and to make use of their experience that can definitely help the other two categories

of TIs

• Hone their skills and continue their activities for higher scores in the future cycles

• Apply for other Ranking/accreditation such as NIRF, NBA etc.

Stage 2: Outcome

• Identification of three categories of TIs

• Focussed Design of strategies for each of the three categories

• Motivational strategies for all the three though at differing planes

 Stage 2: Risk / Assumptions

• Lack of interest at some stage of the process

• Responses may be lukewarm

• Timeline overshoot

• Informationvalidity

The above are few very basic things that need to be adopted and practised on a regular basis prior to applying

for NAAC in order to improve the quality of education with satisfactory academic outcomes in the technical

institutions of West Bengal. It is certain that in the course of the many Online/offline interfaces, workshops

and meetings, newer issues would come to light and newer vistas would open opportunities for progress.

Dr. Rituparno Sen

Dr. Angsuman Sarkar