<p>The State government is in the process of establishing its own agency to accredit institutions of higher learning as it seeks Rs 500 crore under the Centre’s Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme. <br /><br /></p>.<p>One of the prerequisites for benefiting from the scheme is to get all universities and colleges accredited. Rajneesh Goel, Principal Secretary, Higher Education, says preparation is underway for establishing a State accreditation agency. “We have got down to the nitty-gritty — the functionaries to appoint and how to impart them training,” Goel told Deccan Herald.<br /> <br />The official says he is certain that there are enough competent people in the State who can be assigned the job. Help and guidance from the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) would also be sought. Kerala is also in the process of setting up a state accreditation and assessment council. <br /><br />Meeting the RUSA prerequisites will be a challenge for Karnataka given that very few of its institutes of higher learning are accredited, as accreditation was voluntary till January 2013. The State has 3,500 colleges, several State-run and deemed universities, a Central university and two private varsities. <br /><br />But ever since the University Grants Commission (UGC) made accreditation mandatory for all institutes, the NAAC expects more applications. The NAAC Director, H A Ranganath, has welcomed the UGC order. “We are also ready to take up any responsibility under RUSA,” he said. <br /><br />Besides, competent not-for profit agencies and trusts may be assigned the job to ease the burden on the NAAC, with the latter acting as the appellate authority, informed sources in the Karnataka State Higher Education Council said. The RUSA draft clearly mentions the need for a ‘large number of competent and reliable accrediting agencies’.<br /></p>
<p>The State government is in the process of establishing its own agency to accredit institutions of higher learning as it seeks Rs 500 crore under the Centre’s Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme. <br /><br /></p>.<p>One of the prerequisites for benefiting from the scheme is to get all universities and colleges accredited. Rajneesh Goel, Principal Secretary, Higher Education, says preparation is underway for establishing a State accreditation agency. “We have got down to the nitty-gritty — the functionaries to appoint and how to impart them training,” Goel told Deccan Herald.<br /> <br />The official says he is certain that there are enough competent people in the State who can be assigned the job. Help and guidance from the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) would also be sought. Kerala is also in the process of setting up a state accreditation and assessment council. <br /><br />Meeting the RUSA prerequisites will be a challenge for Karnataka given that very few of its institutes of higher learning are accredited, as accreditation was voluntary till January 2013. The State has 3,500 colleges, several State-run and deemed universities, a Central university and two private varsities. <br /><br />But ever since the University Grants Commission (UGC) made accreditation mandatory for all institutes, the NAAC expects more applications. The NAAC Director, H A Ranganath, has welcomed the UGC order. “We are also ready to take up any responsibility under RUSA,” he said. <br /><br />Besides, competent not-for profit agencies and trusts may be assigned the job to ease the burden on the NAAC, with the latter acting as the appellate authority, informed sources in the Karnataka State Higher Education Council said. The RUSA draft clearly mentions the need for a ‘large number of competent and reliable accrediting agencies’.<br /></p>