What Is IQAC? What are the Functions and Benefits of IQAC in NAAC?

As we discussed in the NAAC Accreditation Guide, the major goal of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council is to improve the quality of education. 

To help higher educational institutions (HEIs) pursue the three-step action plan of –

Providing Quality Education

Student Performance Evaluation

Achieving the NAAC Accreditation

The NAAC committee has proposed the concept of forming an Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC).

IQAC would be looked upon as the prime quality sustenance measure.

As providing quality education, adopting innovative teaching-learning methods, and assessing them is a continuous process, IQAC will be working with the HEI to support them throughout their teaching-learning journey.

Let’s understand the concept of IQAC & how it can help institutions.

What is IQAC?

As the name reflects IQAC - Internal Quality Assurance Cell is a structure that would help educational institutions to improve their work processes and achieve learning outcomes & objectives.

However, IQAC is not just a committee.

It is a “participative” and “facilitative” unit that would closely work with the faculty members to plan out the best possible strategies!

Vision of IQAC

Speaking of the vision, IQAC primarily focuses on quality enhancement.

Its aim is to introduce a consistent plan of action that would lead the organization towards progress. It involves preparing strategies for –

• Efficient & timely work processes
• Academic research & programs
• Affordable & innovative approaches
• Use of ICT for modernization of education
• Best assessment process for maintaining quality
• Ensuring the best infrastructure to achieve goals

Thus, IQAC considers all the possible aspects that hold the power to bring positive impact of teaching-learning on the students as well as institutions. Assessment, evaluation & improvement may seem simple steps but can turn the game around when performed consistently.

Functions of IQAC

Let us now understand the various functions that are expected from the IQAC cell.

1. Setting quality benchmarks with consistent work
2. Creating parameters to reach academic as well as non-academic learning goals
3. Creating a student-centric teaching-learning environment
4. Enabling faculty to efficiently use edTech tools for innovation in education
5. Considering the feedback of students, faculty & parents for the best practices
6. Organizing various workshops & seminars for the quality education environment
7. Documenting all the activities in chronological order & keeping a tab on improvements
8. Preparing 100% accurate MIS reports for NAAC
9. Preparing & submitting one of the most important - Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per the instructions of the NAAC

The Role of the IQAC Coordinator

IQAC co-coordinator would be the “captain of the ship”!

There are multiple reasons  – he/she would have years of experience, will be a full-time worker in the institution, would have a responsible approach towards the work processes, and most importantly, he/she would work on the goal of achieving NAAC accreditation.

In a nutshell, the role of the IQAC co-coordinator is the most important of all the committee members.

Key Duties of IQAC

Here are the key duties of IQAC that help institutions to improve their processes.

• Effective Leadership
• Practice Decentralization and Participate Management
• Perspective/Strategic Plan
• Organizational Structure
• Administrative Setup and E-governance
• Effectiveness of various bodies/ Cells/Committees
• Financial Support
• Professional Development
• Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Activities
• Academic Administrative Audit (AAA)
• Participation in various Accreditation and Rankings

Top 10 Benefits of IQAC in the NAAC Accreditation Process

The following are the top 10 benefits of IQAC in the NAAC accreditation process.

#1:  Best Practices

IQAC ensures clarity of the work processes and enables the stakeholders to “re-think” the current work processes.

#2: Internalization of Quality Culture

The continuous assessment patterns make it possible to create an internalization of quality education culture in higher education institutions. 

#3: Better Collaboration of Departments

IQAC ensures a better collaboration between various departments of the HEIs and eradicates the communication gap with frequent evaluation & feedbacks from the stakeholders.

#4:  Improved Functioning of the HEIs

With a greater level of transparency & assessments, institutions are able to make better decisions and improve their overall functioning.

#5:  Proper Documentation

IQAC allows the faculty to properly create authentic documentations & keep their records for future reference in the NAAC assessment process.

#6: Encourages R&D

IQAC encourages HEIs to pay attention to R&D and make the faculty future-ready by empowering them.

#7: Greater Transparency

IQAC peer team verifies all the documents, evidence, and facts and resolves the challenges faced by the HEIs.

#8:Project-based & Service-based Learning

Students are taught the value of practical knowledge by involving project-based learning as well as service-based learning.

#9: Professional Practices

To help children grow academically as well as develop skills, the IQAC team encourages conducting various programs & lectures of professional experts.

#10: Global Platform

Unlike traditional teaching-learning culture, IQAC tries to provide a globalized platform to students by inculcating the “think locally- act globally” mindset.

How MasterSoft’s ADMS can Help IQACs & Institutions to Maintain Accreditation Data?

MasterSoft offers an Accreditation Data Management System (ADMS) to help institutions consolidate, maintain securely & process data in required formats accurately.

MasterSoft offers a Learning Management System (LMS) for continuous assessment & improvement of the teaching-learning methods. Right from designing competent curriculum, syllabus to creating online assessments that –

• Promote innovative teaching-learning practices
• Maximize students learning outcomes
• Tests students as per the Bloom’s Taxonomy framework
• Enables skill development in students
• Works in sync with multiple models like - OBE/LOCF/CBCS
• Calculates COs-POs
• Analyze & enhance student performance

Furthermore, we have designed an Data Management Software (ADMS) that can help institutions to manage their accreditation-related data with ease.  It helps in –

• Preparing online documentation
• Centralized database with role-based access
• Compliance-related MIS reports generation
• Data management in chronological order
• Complete data privacy

In addition to these educational ERP modules, MasterSoft has a lot to offer for improving your overall institutional performance.

Let’s connect over a virtual call and take the next step to the NAAC Accreditation journey.