State of our colleges

It is a matter of concern that as many as 88 colleges of Assam have failed to get NAAC accreditation, because of which principals of these 88 colleges have to be served show-cause notices by the Director of Higher Education. As has been reported on the front page of this newspaper in its Saturday edition, while NAAC accreditation is mandatory for all colleges, principals of these 88 colleges have not yet moved UGC for the evaluation. It is a matter of shame not just for the principals of these 88 colleges, but also for the entire state that they have to be served with show-cause notices.

It may be recalled that this is not the first time that the principals of colleges in Assam have faced such a situation. As was reported earlier by this newspaper, of the 1,016 higher education institutions in Assam, only 208 had got NAAC accreditation till December 2021, following which the Chief Minister had to warn the principals concerned to move UGC fast in order to complete their respective evaluation processes by the end of 2022. But, as the current year is nearing completion, it has been discovered that 88 colleges have yet to wake up.

Assessment by NAAC is mandatory for getting funds from Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) and UGC for infrastructure development, one important component of a college. A look at the evaluation parameters of NAAC will show how important it is not just for colleges, but also for the society and nation as a whole. It covers (i) teaching, learning and evaluation, (ii) research, innovation and extension, (iii) infrastructure and learning resources, (iv) students’ support and progression, (v) governance, leadership and management, and (vi) institutional values and best practices.

Missing such an evaluation and failing to get NAAC accreditation, therefore, means it will lead to a long-term loss to the nation in general and the students in particular. The failure of the 88 college principals to initiate the NAAC accreditation process also speaks volumes about how some colleges are run in Assam, as also probably as the competence and efficiency of the respective principals. While teaching is said to be the noblest of all professions, the government has ensured that college teachers are given the best of packages because they are engaged in shaping and moulding future citizens of the nation.

Apart from the failure to get NAAC accreditation, many colleges of the state are also plagued with various other ailments, the most important being the poor quality of a section of teachers. The State Assembly has discussed more than once the issue of fake PhD degrees held by several college teachers, including a number of principals. Moreover, a sizable section of college teachers does not possess uniformly good academic qualifications.

Many are known to have got “first-class” Masters degrees from universities which have dubious and doubtful histories. Corruption too is said to be rampant in colleges and universities, and information obtained by some citizens through RTI applications, as often reported in the media, stands as testimony to this. There have been numerous allegations about poor utilization and misappropriation of huge sums of money provided by the government.

About the ability to teach, the less said the better. Moreover, teaching from the textbook or syllabus alone is not enough; a college teacher, who gets a handsome salary, has to be a friend, philosopher and guide to the students, a task which a large number of them cannot perform because they do not possess the basic understanding of issues that are required to be transmitted to the young minds thirsty for knowledge. Moreover, a teacher has to be a good leader, an effective motivator, a fantastic communicator, and a role model for the hundreds of young people they handle during every academic session.

Today’s teachers are supposed to be the modern versions of the gurus of the glorious past. Moreover, teachers are required to have clarity of thought and delivery in explanations and directions, should be able to establish a task-oriented classroom climate, make use of a variety of learning activities, establish and maintain momentum and pace for the lesson, encourage pupil participation and getting all students involved, provide students with positive and constructive feedback, and ensure coverage of the educational objectives. Given this situation, there is undoubtedly an urgent need to thoroughly overhaul our colleges and universities before it is too late.

The society too should wake up to reality, take a call and play the important role of a monitor and watchdog. .