NAAC Vision To make quality the defining element of higher education in India through a combination of self and external quality evaluation, promotion and sustenance initiatives. Mission To arrange for periodic assessment and accreditation of institutions of higher education or units thereof, or specific academic programmes or projects; To stimulate the academic environment for promotion of quality of teaching- learning and research in higher education institutions; To encourage self-evaluation, accountability, autonomy and innovations in higher education; To undertake quality-related research studies, consultancy and training programmes, and To collaborate with other stakeholders of higher education for quality evaluation, promotion and sustenance. Series on Great Institutions of Higher Learning Accredited Universities in India (Volume I, 2002-2004) Great Institutions of Higher Learning Accredited Universities in India ∫Á…b~yÆ ™Ó¡ÆÁÊN˛å LƒÊ ünÆÁÆå úu∫ t uƒ≈ƒuƒ˘Á¬Æ EåÏtÁå EÁÆÁzT N˛Á ÀƒÁÆ ÃÊÀsÁå NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION COUNCIL An Autonomous Institution of the University Grants Commission 2/4, Dr. Rajkumar Road, P.O. Box No. 1075, Rajajinagar, Bangalore - 560 010. INDIA © NAAC, February 2005 Price : Rs. 225 Published by: National Assessment and Accreditation Council 2/4, Dr.Rajkumar Road, Rajajinagar, Bangalore - 560 010, Karnataka, India CONTENTS I. Introduction 1 II. Assessment Reports of A-grade Universities 1. Andhra University, Visakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh 7 2. Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali Rajasthan 23 (Deemed University) 3. Bharathiar University, Coimbatore Tamil Nadu 40 4. Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune Maharashtra 57 (Deemed University) 5. Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli Tamil Nadu 69 6. Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics, Pune Maharashtra 86 (Deemed University) 7. Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar Haryana 99 8. Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research Maharashtra 107 Mumbai (Deemed University) 9. Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur Rajasthan 118 10. Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University) New Delhi 128 Hamdard Nagar (Deemed University) 11. Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Andhra Pradesh 135 Hyderabad 12. Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Andhra Pradesh 149 Triupati (Deemed University) 13. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning Andhra Pradesh 159 Ananthpur (Deemed University) 14. University of Kashmir, Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir 177 15. University of Rajasthan, Jaipur Rajasthan 195 III. Annexure Universities Accredited by NAAC 216 Great Institutions of Higher Learning Accredited Universities in India Introduction his volume is the outcome of the effort of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council T(NAAC) to present to the academia of the country exemplary Indian universities. They are some of the best among the universities assessed and accredited so far by the Council with the help of the Peer Teams it had appointed. The criteria of NAAC were followed in the assessment. There are reasons to call them great. In the first place, all of them were accredited with an ‘A’ grade or above (‘A+’ and ‘A++’). As the term, ‘great’ means “of extremely good quality” which deserves admiration (Oxford Dictionary), they have earned the commendation on their own merit for the best practices they have evinced in their performance. Secondly, the term was suggested by the honorable President of India, Shri A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, when he spoke at the conclusion of NAAC’s Decennial Celebrations on November 5, 2004 at Bangalore. He said: .. for each criterion of evaluation (set down by NAAC) there is a college or a university whose practices are the best and would stand out as a symbol of” those practices.. “This experience should lead to the evolution of a book of experience with the title Great Institutions of Higher Learning” (“Suggestions to NAAC” in the address by the honourable President) Earlier, in the same address, while defining the goal of higher education as that of enabling learners to face challenges of real life in the world and to participate in nation building, he also outlined the way to achieve it. It is that of building capacities for research, innovation, use of high technology, creativity in knowledge transfer, and for entrepreneurial and moral leadership. It is a happy coincidence that NAAC’s criteria of assessment envisage the very same capacity building. Hence these institutions are doubly qualified to be called ‘great’ from both internal and external perspectives, from those of NAAC and of intelligentsia outside. It must, however, be said that the term ‘great’ is not used absolutely, once and for all. It has never been the purpose of NAAC to prescribe, judge or to assign a status, much less that of categorically categorizing institutions. Dynamic and forward-looking as it has been, and still is, the philosophy of the Council is to help all institutions to develop, anchoring upon their strengths to get over weaknesses so that all our HEIs may tower as ‘peaks of excellence on the plateau’ of higher education. This philosophy of corporate endeavour for corporate excellence has to rely, nonetheless, on credible and fair measurement which grades not for categorical labelling but for creating self-awareness of the potential already there for self-development. Moreover the present label ‘great’ is relative: that which is great today may not be so tomorrow and vice versa. Quality is never caught and caged, it is earned and sustained. It must also be remembered that the institutions presented in this volume are not an exclusive group that commands the monopoly of quality. There may be others which are better than they in certain specific best practices. For want of space they are not included here. NAAC for Quality and Excellence in Higher Education 1 Great Institutions of Higher Learning Accredited Universities in India Volume I of this series covers only the universities that were assessed under the current nine-point scale, which came into effect since March 15, 2002. It may be noted that in the initial phase of accreditation, many great universities volunteered to be assessed without compulsion from either the state or the centre. Out of 56 universities assessed under the earlier grading system 21 came under the top grade, ‘AHHHHH’ (A Five Star). Not including them in this volume does not mean that their strengths are underestimated. The universities that were assessed under the earlier five-point scale are now preparing for re-accreditation. They will be considered for inclusion in subsequent series when their re-accreditation results are announced. It was felt necessary to bring out this time-bound volume in time to share with HEIs the good work done else where in the country. The institutions presented here have distinguished themselves as performing universities for learner development, nation building and inter-national co-operation. Most of them have introduced long-term and short-term professional and skill-enhancing courses which have improved the employability of a large body of students all over the country. Some of them offer focused programmes to produce world-class scholars in particular disciplines. Some others have widened access to higher education through distance education in order to benefit those who cannot otherwise afford higher education. A few of them have successfully integrated tradition and modernity to preserve and propagate the ancient lore of the country. Most of them have made available to learners the benefits of modern technology at moderate cost. Almost all of them sustain the double focus on the development of intellectual skills on the one hand, and character and personality development through value education on the other. Some have made available to learners a wide variety of combinations of inter and multi-disciplinary courses, both professional and non- professional, in the fields of medicine, engineering, management and other sciences. These and other learner-enhancing strategies do deserve commendation. A few others have significantly contributed to nation building by tailoring courses which pointedly address national needs. Pioneering research into oceanic sciences, nuclear power for development, and oil-exploration sciences is just one of the many instances. The pursuit of geo-science and specialized engineering studies also serves the same purpose. Regional studies pursued by at least one university also belong to this category. Highly significant is the pursuit of high-quality in-depth study of humanities, chiefly, in a discipline like that of economics in order to impact and direct national policies of development. This random sampling is intended to show the right direction that some of the institutions presented here have initiated in higher education. Almost all the universities presented here are exemplars of maintaining high standards of quality authenticated by international acceptance. There are many collaborations with overseas universities and the outcomes are quite significant. At least a few of them have established world-class institutes of excellence in management science and other disciplines. 2 NAAC for Quality and Excellence in Higher Education Great Institutions of Higher Learning Accredited Universities in India Atleast one university has developed an educational model founded on the philosophy of integral education offered free of cost to all. It lays emphasis on the development of the whole person in the learner. The assessment reports of the universities reproduced here are far from narratives