As per the guidelines of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), the establishment of Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) is a mandatory requirement for all NAAC-accredited institutions.
Swarnandhra College of Engineering and Technology was accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade of CGPA 3.32/4.00 in 2013. The IQAC has been consistently and actively involved in quality sustenance and quality enhancement activities. It is a participative cell of the college that works towards achieving holistic academic excellence.
Objectives
The objectives of the IQAC are
To develop a system for conscious, consistent and catalytic action to improve the academic and administrative performance of the college.
To promote measures for the institutional functioning towards quality enhancement through internalization of quality culture and institutionalization of best practices.
Accordingly, IQAC strives to evolve mechanisms and procedures for
Ensuring timely, efficient and progressive performance of academic, administrative and financial tasks
The relevance and quality of academic and research programmes
Equitable access to and affordability of academic programmes for various sections of society
Optimization and integration of modern methods of teaching and learning
The credibility of evaluation procedures
Ensuring the adequacy, maintenance and proper allocation of support structure and services
Sharing of research findings and networking with other institutions in India and abroad.
Functions
Some of the functions expected of the IQAC are as follows :
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
Benefits
IQAC will facilitate / contribute
Ensure heightened level of clarity and focus in institutional functioning towards quality enhancement;
Ensure internalization of the quality culture
Ensure enhancement and coordination among various activities of the institution and institutionalize all good practices
Provide a sound basis for decision-making to improve institutional functioning
Act as a dynamic system for quality changes in HEIs
Build an organized methodology of documentation and internal communication.
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.
The Annual Quality Assurance Reports (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/Board) for the follow up action for necessary quality enhancement measures.
