“Education plays a vital role in the development of any nation. Therefore, there is a premium on both quantity (increased access) and quality (relevance and excellence of academic programmes offered) of higher education. Like in any other domain, the method to improve quality remains the same. Finding and recognising new needs and satisfying them with products and services of international standards” (NAAC).

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has been set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to help all participating educational institutions (Universities and Colleges) assess their performance vis-a-vis set parameters. NAAC is the rating agency for academic excellence across India, and the country's first such effort.

NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION COUNCIL (NAAC) is An Autonomous Institution of the University Grants Commission, P. O. Box. No. 1075, Nagarbhavi, Bangalore – 560 072.

Process for NAAC Accreditation

NAAC's process of assessment is towards holistic, systematic, objective, data-based, transparent and shared experience for institutional improvement. NAAC has identified the following seven criteria to serve as the basis of its assessment procedures

1. Curricular Aspects
2. Teaching-Learning and Evaluation
3. Research, Consultancy and Extension
4. Infrastructure and Learning Resources
5. Student Support and Progression
6. Governance and Leadership
7. Innovative practices

NAAC has also formulated a three stage process for assessment and accreditation as given below:

1. The First-Step: ‘Institutional Eligibility for Quality Assessment (IEQA): In the first step of Assessment and Accreditation, “Institutional Eligibility for Quality Assessment” (IEQA) is required to be obtained by an applicant institution at the beginning, while it is still in the planning stage for assessment. The benefits of this step for an applicant institution are:

• To get recognized as eligible to apply for the second step comprehensive Assessment and Accreditation process;
• To get feedback from NAAC if it does not qualify in the first step, about specific improvements to be made for reaching the required quality level;
• To receive assistance and suitable mentoring from NAAC in the latter case, for enabling it to qualify for IEQA in due course of time.

2. Preparation of theSelf-Study Report by the institution, its submission to NAAC and in-house analysis of the report by NAAC.

3. Peer Team Visit to the institution for validation of the Self-Study Report followed by presentation of a comprehensive assessment report to the institution.

4. Grading, Certification and Accreditation based on the evaluation report by the peer team.

The Matru Sewa Sangh Institute of Social Work complied with all the requirements of NAAC and completed the process of accreditation first in 2004, and after five years, it also got re-accredited in January 2009 with ‘A’ Grade (CGPA 3.03).

Thus the Institute is in the select league of accredited A Grade colleges in India. As per NAAC website on 4.6.2010, the total number of Accredited Colleges in India stands at 3492. And in Maharashtra there are 945 accredited colleges.

Mandatory Description: All Higher Education Institutions (Universities / Colleges) whenever they indicate the assessment grade of NAAC in their circulars / notifications / publications must now mandatorily include the following (For all institutions accredited on or after 01-04-2007):

Dr Arun Kumar (Associate Professor) of the Institute receiving the NAAC 'A' Grade Accreditation Certificate, from Prof H. A. Ranganath (Director, NAAC), Prof Sukhdeo Thorat (Chairman UGC), and Prof Goverdhan Mehta (Chairman NAAC Executive Committee), at the Accreditation Award Ceremony held at NAAC Campus, Bangalore, on 8th March 2009.