UP eyes NAAC tag for 25% of colleges

Lucknow: To elevate the quality of higher education in the state, the govt has set a target of getting 25% of colleges in Uttar Pradesh evaluated by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

The govt aims for at least a quarter of UP's colleges to secure NAAC accreditation by the end of the 2025–26 academic year. This major push is being driven by the concerted efforts of higher education department and the UP state-level quality assurance cell (UP-SLQAC).

"As part of the mission to improve national ranking of higher education institutions, 1,000 colleges have been shortlisted for NAAC evaluation. In a notable achievement, six universities in the state have secured A++ grade under the NAAC assessment. Building on this momentum, the govt now aims to bring a quarter of the state's colleges under the NAAC framework," said an official.

He added that, to streamline the accreditation process, the state has introduced a binary system to ensure a more transparent, simplified, and outcome-focused evaluation mechanism. This system will help institutions obtain timely approval and grading.

State higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyay said, "The move will foster an improved academic environment, promote the recruitment of qualified faculty, and offer students access to nationally and internationally recognised institutions."