Patna: Anugrah Narayan College in Patna is the lone college from Bihar - from around 40 applicants - that has secured Grade A in the list the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) released on Monday.

NAAC, the nodal body that evaluates higher-education institutes, gives out grades twice a year - in May-June and November-December. Monday's list is of institutes that had applied for NAAC grading on June.

NAAC grades range from A++ (highest) to D. The lowest grade - cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of less than or equal to 1.5 - means that the educational institution is not accredited.

Educational institutions getting CGPA in scale of 3.76 to 4 points are given A++. Institutions having A+ grade have to get a score of 3.51 to 3.75, while A will be 3.01 to 3.50. Similarly, institutions securing CGPA in the scale of 2.76 to 3 get B++ grade.

AN College, a constituent college Magadh University, has secured Grade A from NAAC for the third consecutive time. Other Bihar colleges that have secured A grade from NAAC a few years ago are Patna Women's College, Gaya College, and the College of Commerce, Arts and Science.

On Monday's list, 14 colleges have got grades but except AN College the others have B or C grade.

"It is a great achievement for our institution to get NAAC Grade A for the third consecutive time," said AN College principal S.P. Shahi.

The college, he said, will work to further strengthen its infrastructure so that it can secure even better grades in future. In Bihar, there are around 80 NAAC-graded educational institutions including five universities.

"The poor rating of Bihar universities and colleges in Naac grading actually reflects the poor education scene of higher education in Bihar," said former Patna College principal Nawal Kishore Choudhary.

"The state government is responsible for it as higher education has never been a priority for it. The colleges are bereft of teachers and suffer from lack of infrastructure."

The process of NAAC accreditation takes place once in five years and all University Grants Commission (UGC)-recognised colleges have to submit a self-study report that is reviewed by a peer team from NAAC on the basis of which the final grade is given. As NAAC assesses the academics as well as infrastructure, institutions having good NAAC grade find it easier to get funds from the national higher education mission (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) and the UGC.

Patna University will go for NAAC grading this year. The university has asked all its postgraduate departments to submit details about teachers, student strength and infrastructure facilities.