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), proposes that every accredited institution should establish an Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) as a quality sustenance measure. Since quality enhancement is a continuous process, the IQAC will become a part of the institution’s system and work towards the realization 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, institutions need to channelize their efforts and measures towards promoting holistic academic excellence including the peer committee recommendations. The guidelines provided in the following pages will guide and facilitate the institution in the creation and operation of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC). The work of the IQAC is the first step towards the internalization and institutionalization of quality enhancement initiatives. Its success depends upon the sense of belongingness and participation in all the constituents of the institution. It will not be yet another hierarchical structure or a record-keeping exercise in the institution. It will be a facilitative and participative voluntary system/unit/organ of the institution. It has the potential to become a vehicle for ushering in quality enhancement by working out planned interventionist strategies by IQAC to remove deficiencies and enhance quality like the “Quality Circles” in industries. 

IQAC – Vision 

To ensure quality culture as the prime concern for the Higher Education Institutions through institutionalizing and internalizing all the initiatives taken with internal and external support. 

 

Objective 

The primary aim of IQAC is : 

  • To develop a system for conscious, consistent, and catalytic action to improve the academic and administrative performance of the institution.  
  • To promote measures for institutional functioning towards quality enhancement through internalization of quality culture and institutionalization of best practices. 

Strategies 

IQAC shall evolve mechanisms and procedures for 

  1. a) Ensuring timely, efficient, and progressive performance of academic, administrative, and financial tasks; 
  2. b) Relevant and quality academic/ research programs; 
  3. c) Equitable access to and affordability of academic programs for various sections of society; 
  4. d) Optimization and integration of modern methods of teaching and learning; 
  5. e) The credibility of assessment and evaluation process; 
  6. f) Ensuring the adequacy, maintenance, and proper allocation of support structure and services; 
  7. g) Sharing of research findings and networking with other institutions in India and abroad. 

 

Functions 

  1. a) Development and application of quality benchmarks 
  2. b) Parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution; c) 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; 
  3. d) Collection and analysis of feedback from all stakeholders on quality-related institutional processes; 
  4. e) Dissemination of information on various quality parameters to all stakeholders; f) Organization of inter and intra institutional workshops, seminars on quality related themes, and promotion of quality circles; 
  5. g) Documentation of the various programmes/activities leading to quality improvement; 
  6. h) Acting as a nodal agency of the Institution for coordinating quality-related activities, including adoption and dissemination of best practices; 
  7. i) Development and maintenance of institutional database through MIS for the purpose of maintaining /enhancing the institutional quality; 
  8. j) Periodical conduct of Academic and Administrative Audit and its follow-up 
  9. k) Preparation and submission of the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per guidelines and parameters of NAAC. 

Benefits 

IQAC will facilitate/contribute to 

  1. a) Ensure clarity and focus in institutional functioning towards quality enhancement; 
  2. b) Ensure internalization of the quality culture; 
  3. b) Ensure enhancement and coordination among various activities of the institution and institutionalize all good practices; 
  4. c) Provide a sound basis for decision-making to improve institutional functioning; 
  5. d) Act as a dynamic system for quality changes in HEIs; 
  6. e) Build an organized methodology of documentation and internal communication. 

 

Composition of the IQAC 

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. The composition of the IQAC may be as follows: 

  1. Chairperson: Head of the Institution 
  2. Teachers to represent all level (Three to eight) 
  3. One member from the Management 
  4. Few senior administrative officers 
  5. One nominee each from local society, Students and Alumni 
  6. One nominee each from Employers /Industrialists/Stakeholders 
  7. One of the senior teachers is the coordinator/Director of the IQAC.