Centre for Internal Quality Assurance

Organisation Structure and Governance: This relates to the policies and practices of Higher Educational Institution in the matter of planning, human resources, recruitment, training, performance appraisal, financial management and the overall role of leadership, with a focus on the following key aspects

Management: The leadership and management of the Institution strives to assess and review the organizational culture to achieve its vision, mission and goals.

Strategic Planning: The Higher Educational Institution undertakes strategic planning of its activities and implements the same by aligning those with academic and administrative aspects to improve the overall quality.

Operational Plan, Goals and Policies: The Higher Educational Institution has well defined goals which are realistic and measurable, well defined policies that are in sync with its strategic plan and are realistic and achievable, clearly stated guidelines for the implementation of its policies and plans, and transparent and accountable system for its policies and planning that are well communicated to its stakeholders.

The Higher Educational Institution has articulated a clear vision, mission, ethos and broad strategy consistent with the goals for offering programmes in Open and Distance Learning and Online mode.

This area of concern relates to programme development and approval mechanism for the programme(s) to be launched, covering the following key aspects, namely:-

Curriculum Planning, Design and Development: The curriculum planning, design and development of academic programmes is a major academic activity of the Higher Educational Institution. Therefore, it has processes, systems and structures in place to carry out these responsibilities.

Curriculum Implementation: The Higher Educational Institution has specific implementation plans for identifying the time to be spent on specific components of the implementation phase. It is the basis for the effectiveness of the programme(s) and their usefulness as a whole.

Academic Flexibility: The Higher Educational Institution has adopted proper strategies for imparting academic flexibility, which refers to freedom in the use of the time-frame of courses, vertical mobility, and inter-disciplinary options facilitated by curricular transactions for learners.

Learning Resource: The Higher Educational Institution has ensured quality learning resources in the form of Self Learning Materials (SLMs) for Open and Distance Learning mode and e-learning material for Online mode of education as defined in these regulations. While deciding on the instructional packages, the Higher Educational Institution has taken into consideration various factors – the media and technology utilised matches the course content in order to enhance and expand learning, and to match to the learners‘ needs; that these are accessible, practical and equitable, and cost effective to the learners.

Feedback System: The process of revision and re-design of curricula is based on feedback from all stakeholders in terms of its relevance and appropriateness in catering to the needs of the society, economy and environment.

The Higher Educational Institution plans and executes a programme monitoring and review system to conduct periodic internal reviews and maintain the quality of academic programmes. For such reviews, the Institution has also considered the attainments of learning outcomes that are assessed through the various tools for direct and indirect assessment.

The Higher Educational Institution has a system to elicit data on the adequacy and optimal use of the facilities - physical facilities, library (or e-library), Information and Communication Technology infrastructure, etc. - available in a Higher Educational Institution to maintain the quality of academic programmes and ensure qualitative support to each of the stakeholders.

The learner support services including academic counseling and library services has a major preoccupation of Higher Educational Institution for its Open and Distance Learning mode and Online mode learners. Additionally, Higher Educational Institution has established Information and Communication Technology facilities as components of the learning environment which is focused around the pedagogical use of modern educational practices to support blended learning. Learner Support Services are provided through the campus-wide portal and e-Learning platform. The Higher Educational Institution has taken a more sophisticated approach to the use of Information and Communication Technology and expertise in e-learning. The approach provides a seamless learner-centred environment.

All the stated Learning Outcomes of a Programme is a part of its evaluation protocol. The Higher Educational Institution executes the evaluation through varied assessment tools including multiple choice questions, projects, reports, case-studies, presentations, and term-end examinations, to suit the different learning outcomes expected of the course elements. The Higher Educational Institution has a proper assessment and moderation system for assessing the learning outcomes of learners.

The Higher Educational Institution has a well established structure for promoting quality counseling, capacity building workshops, programmes, interactive teaching-learning and provides staff development programmes and activities to encourage academic staff to improve teaching and learning on a continuous basis.

The Higher Educational Institution has robust and appropriate academic planning procedures to ensure that the programmes offered by it are relevant to the national economy, reflects the Institution ‘s strategic direction and offers a high quality ‘value-added ‘learner experience. The Institution has adequate and appropriate teaching and other support staff along with infrastructure and technology support to ensure that the curriculum remains up to date and the institutional goals are achieved.

The Higher Educational Institution has a mechanism in place for validation to ensure that its programmes are academically viable, that academic standards have been appropriately defined and that these offer learners the best opportunity to learn.

Quality deliverance of the Open and Distance Learning programmes and Online programmes and the outcomes attainment and continual quality improvements are ensured by the Higher Educational Institution, shall be broadly as follows, namely: -

Reports from Examination Centres: Report of conduct of examinations in both Open and Distance Learning Mode and Online mode, along with report of observers/proctors for all examinations is collected periodically from Examination Centres. The Higher Educational Institution has adopted technological solutions for easy receipt of these reports.

External Auditor or other External Agencies report: The Higher Educational Institution considers the comments made by External auditors, experts and third party of quality audit and implementation as appropriate.

Systematic Consideration of Performance Data at Programme, Faculty and Higher Educational Institution levels: For effective evaluation and audit, the Higher Educational Institution ensures easy access to performance monitoring information such as course pass rates, learner entry profiles and progression and achievement reports, which is available through web-based application and be used for report making by the Higher Educational institution.

Reporting and Analytics by the Higher Educational Institution: The Higher Educational Institution shall generate the required reports out of such web-based applications and analyze learner and academic analytics for deciding the improvements to be executed for better performance.

Periodic Review: The Higher Educational Institution has an effective system for collecting feedback from the stakeholders regularly to improve its programmes. The Higher Educational Institution conducts self-assessments regularly and uses the results to improve its systems, processes etc. and finally quality of programmes.