The department of Collegiate Education (DCE) has identified 44 first grade colleges across the State as having potential for the National Assessment and Accreditation Council’s (NAAC) grading.

Funds have been allocated to these colleges to improve their infrastructure to meet the eligibility criteria for accreditation. The funding will help many of these colleges which presently lack infrastructure.

These 44 colleges have been selected from among 190 colleges which were given permission for accreditation in 2006. The DCE has chosen colleges that have been functioning from at least five years.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Bhagyalakshmi B L, director, Department of Collegiate Education said the selection was done on the basis of an assessment by the NAAC cell in co-ordination with the department. “The strength of students, student- teacher ratio and basic infrastructure of the college were among the parameters,” she said.

The focus of these colleges would be to start working on creating and updating their website before sending in applications to NAAC seeking accreditation. As per the accreditation council’s guidelines, it is mandatory for colleges to have website, Bhagyalakshmi said. Each college has been given a grant of Rs 1.2 lakh out of which Rs 10,000 will go towards development of the website. The colleges have been directed to utilise Rs 35,000 to prepare the self-study report and the rest to pay fee for the evaluation. A circular sent by the DCE on March 8 to the colleges instructs them to use the funds for these purposes only.

According to the DCE official, apart from the website, colleges are also being allocated funds to upgrade the buildings including labs and toilets. The approval for construction work was given last week and the works are expected to be completed within a year. It would take at least 10 to 12 months for the accreditation process to take off and hence there would be ample time if the colleges start preparing from now.

The selected colleges will have to send a letter of intent to the accreditation council. The NAAC will scrutinise these letters and if they fulfil the basic criteria, they will be declared eligible to apply for the process of accreditation. After this, colleges will send in their self study report. If the institutes clear this round, the council members will visit the colleges for inspection. The accreditation council will give weightage to curriculum, research, learning resources, student support, governance and leadership among others.