Supreme Court Questions Fairness in NAAC Grading

The Supreme Court has requested a response from the education ministry regarding transparency in the grading of educational institutions by the NAAC. This follows a plea highlighting unfair practices and corruption allegations against NAAC, sparking concerns about the integrity of the accreditation process.

The Supreme Court has taken an active interest in the evaluation practices of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) by seeking responses from the Union education ministry and related bodies. This move came after a plea by NGO Bistro Destino Foundation questioned the transparency and fairness of the NAAC's grading of higher education institutions.

A Supreme Court bench, consisting of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi, issued notices to the Union education ministry, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and NAAC. Created in 1994, NAAC is an autonomous body under the UGC, responsible for grading colleges and universities on various parameters including curriculum and faculty.

The petition filed also cited a February 1st case by the Central Bureau of Investigation against NAAC officials over a corruption issue, casting doubt on the credibility and effectiveness of the accreditation process. The Supreme Court expressed its intent to delve deeper into how NAAC operates, indicating potential liberty to submit additional documents for review.

(With inputs from agencies.)