Page 370 - Compendium of UGC Regulations 1957-2023

Regulations pertaining to Accreditation of HEIs:

University Grants Commission
(Recognition and Monitoring of Assessment & Accreditation Agencies)
Regulations, 2018.

New Delhi, the 14th August, 2018

F. No. 1-19/2017(CPP-II), —

Preamble

Whereas University Grants Commission (UGC) is mandated to coordinate and determine the
standards of higher education in universities;

Whereas assessment and accreditation through transparent and informed external review process
are the effective means of quality determination and assurance;

Whereas mandatory assessment and accreditation would also enable the higher education system
in the country to become a part of the global quality assurance system;
Whereas the existing capacity for accreditation is found to be inadequate to meet the
requirements of the higher educational institutions, calling for augmentation of the capacity by
allowing more accreditation agencies to come into this sphere of activity;

Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (j) of Section 12 read with clause (g) of
sub-section (1) of Section 26 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and in supersession
of the earlier notification Gazetted on 17 July, 2014 the University Grants Commission hereby
makes the following regulations:-

1. Short title, application and commencement –
(1) These regulations shall be called the University Grants Commission (Recognition and
Monitoring of Assessment & Accreditation Agencies) Regulations, 2018.
(2) These regulations shall apply to all Assessment and Accreditation Agencies (AAA)
engaged in the assessment and accreditation of higher educational institutions (HEIs)
and/or programmes conducted therein, other than the higher educational institutions
engaged mainly in agricultural education and research, in the country.
(3) These regulations shall come into force from the date of their notification in the Official
Gazette.
2. Definitions -

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—
(a) “Academic quality” means the quality of teaching, learning and research and consequently
their contribution to enhancement of knowledge and includes physical infrastructure,
human resources (including faculty), administration, course curricula, admission and
assessment procedures and governance structures, of the higher educational institution
and includes standards as laid down by the appropriate statutory regulatory authority;
(b) “Accreditation” means the process of quality assurance in Higher Education Institutions,
whereby, as a result of evaluation or assessment or by any other scientific method
followed by accreditation agencies, an HEI or programme(s) conducted therein is
recognised as conforming to benchmarked parameters of academic quality;
(c) “Accreditation Advisory Council” means the Council appointed by the UGC under
clause 4.1 of these regulations;

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University Grants Commission