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 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.

The institutions need to prepare the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR)and the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) may be the part of the Annual Report. The AQAR shall be approved by the statutory bodies of the HEIs (such as Syndicate, Governing Council/Executive Council/Board of Management) for the follow up action for necessary quality enhancement measures.

FUNCTIONS

Some of the functions expected of the IQAC are:

• Development and application of quality benchmarks/parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution
• 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
• Arrangement for feedback response from students, parents and other stakeholders on quality-related institutional processes
• Dissemination of information on various quality parameters of higher education
• Organization of inter and intra institutional workshops, seminars on quality related themes and promotion of quality circles
• Documentation of the various programmes/activities leading to quality improvement
• Acting as a nodal agency of the Institution for coordinating quality-related activities, including adoption and dissemination of best practices
• Development and maintenance of institutional database through MIS for the purpose of maintaining/enhancing the institutional quality
• Development of Quality Culture in the institution
• Preparation of the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per guidelines and parameters of NAAC, to be submitted to NAAC.