IQAC

IQAC

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

a) Ensuring timely, efficient and progressive performance of academic, administrative and financial tasks;

b)  The relevance and quality of academic and research programmes;

c)  Equitable access to and affordability of academic programmes for various sections of society;

d) Optimization and integration of modern methods of teaching and learning;

e)  The credibility of evaluation procedures;

f)  Ensuring the adequacy, maintenance and proper allocation of support structure and services;

g)  Sharing of research findings and networking with other institutions in India and abroad.     

Functions

Some of the functions expected of the IQAC are:

a)    Development and application of quality benchmarks/parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution;

b)   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;

c)    Arrangement for feedback response from students, parents and other stakeholders on quality-related institutional processes;

d) Dissemination of information on various quality parameters of higher education;

e)  Organization of inter and intra institutional workshops, seminars on quality related themes and promotion of quality circles;

f)  Documentation of the various programmes/activities leading to quality improvement;

g)  Acting as a nodal agency of the Institution for coordinating quality-related activities, including adoption and dissemination of best practices;

h) Development and maintenance of institutional database through MIS for the purpose of maintaining /enhancing the institutional quality;

i)   Development of Quality Culture in the institution;

j)   Preparation of the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per guidelines and parameters of NAAC, to be submitted to NAAC.

Benefits

IQAC will facilitate / contribute

a)        Ensure heightened level of clarity and focus in institutional functioning towards quality enhancement;

b)        Ensure internalization of the quality culture;

b)    Ensure enhancement and coordination among  various activities of the institution and institutionalize all good practices;

c)    Provide a sound basis for decision-making to improve institutional functioning;

d)    Act as a dynamic system for quality changes in HEIs;

e)    Build an organised 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.    A few senior administrative officers

3.    Three to eight teachers

4.    One member from the Management

5.    One/two nominees from local society, Students and Alumni

6.    One/two nominees from Employers /Industrialists/stakeholders

7.    One of the senior teachers as the coordinator/Director of the IQAC

The composition of the IQAC will depend on the size and complexity of the institution. It helps the institutions in planning and monitoring. IQAC also gives stakeholders or beneficiaries a cross-sectional participation in the institution’s quality enhancement activities. The guidelines given here are only indicative and will help the institutions for quality sustenance activities.

The membership of such nominated members shall be for a period of two years. The IQAC should meet at least once in every quarter. The quorum for the meeting shall be two-third of the total number of members. The agenda, minutes and Action Taken Reports are to be documented with official signatures and maintained electronically in a retrievable format.

It is necessary for the members of the IQAC to shoulder the responsibilities of generating and promoting awareness in the institution and to devote time for working out the procedural details. While selecting these members several precautions need to be taken. A few of them are listed below:

¶  It is advisable to choose persons from various backgrounds who have earned respect for integrity and excellence in their teaching and research. Moreover, they should be aware of the ground realities of the institutional environment. They should be known for their commitment to improving the quality of teaching and learning.

¶  It would be appropriate to choose as senior administrators, persons in charge of institutional services such as library, computer center, estate, student welfare, administration, academic tasks, examination and planning and development.

¶  The management representative should be a person who is aware of the institution’s objectives, limitations and strengths and is committed to its improvement. The local society representatives should be of high social standing and should have made significant contributions to society and in particular to education.

The role of coordinator

The role of the coordinator of the IQAC is crucial in ensuring the effective functioning of all the members. The coordinator of the IQAC may be a senior person with expertise in quality aspects. She/he may be a full-time functionary or, to start with, she/he may be a senior academic /administrator entrusted with the IQAC as an additional responsibility. Secretarial assistance may be facilitated by the administration. It is preferable that the coordinator may have sound knowledge about the computer, its various functions and usage for effective communication.

Operational Features of the IQAC

Quality assurance is a by-product of ongoing efforts to define the objectives of an institution, to have a work plan to achieve them and to specify the checks and balances to evaluate the degree to which each of the tasks is fulfilled. Hence devotion and commitment to improvement rather than mere institutional control is the basis for devising procedures and instruments for assuring quality. The right balance between the health and growth of an institution needs to be struck. The IQAC has to ensure that whatever is done in the institution for “education” is done efficiently and effectively with high standards. In order to do this, the IQAC will have to first establish procedures and modalities to collect data and information on various aspects of institutional functioning.

The coordinator of the IQAC and the secretary will have a major role in implementing these functions. The IQAC may derive major support from the already existing units and mechanisms that contribute to the functions listed above. The operational features and functions discussed so far are broad-based to facilitate institutions towards academic excellence and institutions may adapt them to their specific needs.

Monitoring Mechanism

The institutions need to submit yearly the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) to NAAC. A functional Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and timely submission of Annual Quality Assurance Reports (AQARs) are the Minimum Institutional Requirements (MIR) to volunteer for second, third or subsequent cycle’s accreditation.  During the institutional visit the NAAC peer teams will interact with the IQACs to know the progress, functioning as well quality sustenance initiatives undertaken by them.