Hyderabad: All universities in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will have to get themselves accredited by next year if they want to continue getting grants from the Centre. However, less than half of the universities in the two states are accredited.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked varsities to apply for accreditation with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (Naac) this year. “UGC has said that all universities will have to apply for accreditation before the end of the year. Or they will cancel financial assistance,” a senior official of the AP State Council of Higher Education said.

The UGC had earlier asked universities to fill faculty vacancies before the 2015-16 academic year began. “In a way these are right steps initiated by the central government because, our universities are beset with problems of faculty and quality. It will improve the quality of education,” the official said.
In December 2013 as well, the UGC had asked all universities to get themselves accredited but hardly any had complied. Clause 7.1 of the UGC (mandatory assessment and accreditation of higher educational institutions) regulations 2012 stipulates that financial aid will be given only to those institutions that are accredited. But it hasn’t been implemented completely.

The varsities of the two states now face a tough task as less than half of them are accredited by the Naac, and fewer have been graded “A” by the assessment agency. Most of those graded “A” are Central universities and premier institutions like the University of Hyderabad, IIIT Hyderabad or IIT Hyderabad.

But, the state universities that are lagging behind. “Many universities are preparing for accreditation only this year. But, according to Naac rules, at least two batches of graduates should have passed out from the institute, or the institution should be at least six years old. For instance, Satavahana University has only now turned six,” a senior TSCHE official said.