Media Release
Mangaluru, Jan 25: The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) peer team visited Besant Women’s College for the third cycle of accreditation and grading on January 23 and 24.
Chairperson Dr Sheela Ramachandra, former vice-vhancellor, Avinashilingam Deemed University for Women, Coimbatore, handed over the report to principal Dr Sathish Kumar Shetty P, at the exit meeting held on January 24 at the College auditorium.
Addressing the members she said, "NAAC has adopted the concept of Total Quality Management (TQM) from the business world. Now TQM is also expected right from home to higher education. Achieving total quality is a pursuit of constant journey by its nature".
Dwelling on the different cycles of NAAC accreditation process, Dr Sheela Ramachandra said, TQM as directed by NAAC has two wings namely, the establishment of system, assessed by system audit and the utilisation quotient of system, assed by academic audit.
"The first round of NAAC assesses quality benchmarks in institutions and during the second, it ascertains if the claims of quality are sustained. During third and the consecutive cycles it checks if the quality is enhanced. It is a virtual cycle, a journey with no fixed destination, where there is only a run to catch up with the latest and the best. Marching forward by providing students the best education to meet expectations of time is the goal. The development and enhancement is the only answer and there are no shortcuts. The parameters of enhancement reflect in the performances of the students," she said.
Living in a small cocoon may make the institution extinct in short time, she warned. Speaking about the impression of Besant Women's College on her during her visit she said, "It’s an institution with a great legacy. It runs on bottom-top approach. The needy women in and around the city are greatly benefited by Besant College. The women of underprivileged class and needy communities are given education on a non-discriminative basis which is the biggest virtue of Besant College. Despite the challenge of less admissions and restrictions, because of its affiliation to University, reforms are being introduced. The students are getting very good training, they are highly motivated, disciplined and are excellent in co-curricular aspects. Empowerment is the aim of the institution and it is achieving that through various ways." She congratulated the college for maintaining excellent relation with the stakeholders and for industrious utilisation of space available in the not so big campus.
Suggesting some improvements, Dr Sheela said, "There is a need to go beyond syllabus to develop skills among students. Women in these times of high competition need to know some skills that will make them economically free. They should be able to live a respectable life even with restrictions of staying at home. Rather than outcome based learning, self learning and transformational education is needed to make future generation industry ready".
"The peer team visit was only for fact finding and the actual certification will be soon put up on the NAAC website," she concluded.
Earlier, the principal formally welcomed the gathering. Prof Preetha Bhandary thanked and Sangeetha from the commerce department compered the programme. NAAC member coordinators Prof Vani N Laturkar, Prof Elizabeth Mathew and College Internal Quality Assurance cell co-ordinator Prof Meera Edna Coelho were present on the dais.