The Gaya College. Picture by Manish Bhandari

Gaya, Feb. 4: The National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) has awarded an “A” grade to Gaya College under Magadh University.

With the honour, the college has joined a privileged list of educational institutions in India identified for their academic achievements, discipline and learning.

The decision to award the top-most grade to the college was taken at the meeting of the executive committee of the NAAC in Bangalore on Monday afternoon. The committee’s decision was later communicated to principal Madan Murari, who briefed reporters.

The award comes after an extensive three-day inspection and interaction with teachers, students, staff, parents and alumni.

A four-member group comprising educational experts from Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Haryana and NAAC assistant adviser Gopal Hegde inspected the college.

The team recorded the college performance on a 1,000-point scale and awarded the rank on the basis complex and diverse factors — curricular design, academic flexibility, teaching and learning evaluation, quality of teaching, extension activities, infrastructure, student support, library maintenance and the leadership quality of the college heads.

In its 11-page report the team has lauded the college curriculum, which offers inter-disciplinary courses such as biotechnology and electronics.

The report further praises the special tutorial classes for slow learners, as it helps in the realisation of the larger goal — to develop young minds of the present generation.

Gaya College’s central library has around 1.15 lakh books and subscribes to 44 Indian journals and 12 magazines — a feature that found a mention in the report as well.

Factors that won the college extra points were the four computer laboratories with 140 terminals and internet facility for students and faculty members alike — a feature that the team believed was a “reflection” of the needs of the present generation.

The NAAC report and the team lauded Gaya College’s organisational structure stating it was “being run in accordance with government statutes”.

The report, however, identified areas which requires improvement — the high percentage of dropouts at the PG and UG-level (26 per cent) and the need for a full-time faculty in professional and vocational courses.

The report also expected the management to be eco-friendly and partake in empowerment activities, especially for girls.