Bhubaneswar: Utkal University, the premier public university in the State, has been awarded A+ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Thanks to the efforts of the Department of Higher Education now the Institution has reclaimed its honour, feel senior faculty members of the University.
Secretary Higher Education, Aravind Agrawal expressed his happiness over the success of Utkal University in getting A+ Grade from NAAC.
A NAAC Team visited Utkal University from September 26 to 28 this year. After its visit, the NAAC was awarded A+ Grade with a final grade point of 3.26.
In May this year, the NAAC gave A Grade to the university with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.16. The institute had secured A+ grade with 3.53 CGPA in 2016. Students and netizens called it an ‘embarrassment’ and criticized the University Authority.
Following this, protesting the faulty assessment made by the previous NAAC team, the Department of Higher Education Authority had moved to the UGC. Later, the NAAC sent another team to the Institute and made another fresh assessment. Now, the University secured 3.26 points to get A+ Grade.
The University has received a grade point of 3.57 in curricular aspects; 3.33 in teaching-learning and evaluation; 3.15 in research, innovations and extension; 3.65 in infrastructure and learning resources; 3.11 in student support and progression; 2.62 in governance, leadership and management and 3.37 in institutional values and best practices.
It is worth mentioning here that Ravenshaw University in Odisha’s Cuttack City has recently been awarded A++ grade with a final point of 3.58 by the NAAC, recently.
A five-member team from the NAAC visited the Cuttack-based University from November 20 to 22. The varsity has been awarded a final grade point of 3.58 by the NAAC, sources said.
The Ravenshaw University has received a grade point of 3.73 in curricular aspects, 3.19 in teaching-learning and evaluation, 3.5 in research, innovations and extension, 3.85 in infrastructure and learning resources, 3.75 in student support and progression, 3.58 in governance, leadership and management and 3.91 in the institutional values and best practices.
The British Government had established the Ravenshaw College in 1868. The college was granted autonomous status in the 1990s. It was finally upgraded into a unitary university in 2006.