The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has revised the accreditation grades of 53 higher education institutions (HEIs) following appeals, reassessment exercises, and updated evaluation results conducted between October and December.
Of the 53 institutions whose grades were reviewed, 28 universities secured Grade A and above. Among them, three institutions were awarded the top A++ grade, seven received A+, and 18 institutions were graded A during the three-month review period. However, eight institutions saw no change in their accreditation grade despite filing appeals during the October assessment cycle.
The revised grades come amid significant reforms in the accreditation process. NAAC has recently introduced a new framework known as Basic Binary Accreditation, to be followed by the Maturity Based Graded Levels (MBGL) accreditation, as recommended by the Dr Radhakrishnan Committee. Under this transition, institutions accredited under the existing framework whose validity expires between January 27, 2024, and the launch of MBGL accreditation will be granted a one-time extension of up to three months.
Such institutions will also have the option to apply for Basic Binary Accreditation once it is introduced, while continuing internal quality monitoring through their Internal Quality Assurance Cells (IQACs).
Explaining the grading system, NAAC stated that institutions securing a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.01 and above are placed in Grade A and higher, while institutions scoring below 1.50 are not accredited. The prestigious A++ grade requires a CGPA of 3.51 and above. NAAC further clarified that the final CGPA is rounded off to two decimal points, and grading follows inclusive class intervals, where both upper and lower limits are considered.
The accreditation outcome is determined based on three key components—the peer team report, quantitative metrics-based graphical analysis, and the institutional grade sheet—all of which are required to be displayed on the institution’s official website for transparency.
Among the institutions awarded the A++ grade during this cycle are Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal (CGPA 3.53), Tuljaram Chaturchand College of Arts, Science and Commerce (3.51), and ICAR–Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar (3.58).
The revised grades reflect NAAC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability, transparency, and quality assurance in India’s higher education ecosystem.