Manipal (The Hindu): Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), a deemed-to-be university, was accorded the highest rank, ‘A’, by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bengaluru, recently.

According to a press release, this accreditation is valid for five years. NAAC is an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India to assess and accredit institutions of higher education in the country.

A NAAC team consisting of 17 academics, including vice-chancellors, pro vice-chancellors, directors and professors, visited the Manipal University campuses in Manipal, Mangaluru and Bengaluru in May 2016 and assessed the university and its constituent units on the basis of pre-defined criteria such as curricular aspects, teaching-learning and evaluation, research, consultancy and extension, infrastructure and learning resources, student support and progression, governance, leadership and management and innovations and best practices.

Each criterion has key aspects and NAAC grades the institutions for each aspect under four categories — A, B, C and D, denoting very good, good, satisfactory and unsatisfactory levels, respectively.

Ramdas M. Pai, chancellor, said that he was glad that MAHE had secured NAAC “A” Grade. “We have never compromised on the need for maintaining excellent standards and this recognition will inspire our university team to aim for a better performance. My congratulations to the Manipal team,” he said.