Journal of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University (Oct 2021)
Evaluation of Student Centricity in Accreditation Guidelines by National Assessment and Accreditation Council
Abstract
Background: The national guidelines on accreditation and assessment in India include all Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) irrespective of streams and subject domains. The guidelines have been recently laid down for Health Sciences Institutions/Universities by National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC). The World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) has undertaken the task of preparing a global register of medical schools and have set one of the main inclusion criteria for the medical schools to be accredited by an agency of accreditation recognised by the WFME. There is a need to critically appraise national guidelines on accreditation and assessment of higher educational institutions as against international standards on all counts. Therefore, the present study highlights one of the 7 criteria in the Quality Indicator Framework (QIF) of NAAC which is based on student support and progression in terms of commensuration with international standards. Aim and Objectives: To critically appraise guidelines for Health Sciences Institutions by NAAC as against those of WFME and Liaison Committee of Medical Education (LCME) in vogue in Europe and United States of America respectively with special focus on criterion 5 in NAAC criteria - student support and progression. Material and Methods: The present study is descriptive involving critical appraisal of NAAC guidelines for health sciences institutions as against 2 standard international documents – WFME and LCME guidelines respectively. It was carried out in School of Health Professions Education and Research affiliated with Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University), Sawangi (Meghe), Wardha. Results: The present study takes into consideration 2 standard guideline documents and critically appraises NAAC guidelines against the WFME and LCME guidelines with reference to criterion 5 – student support and progression. Upon critical appraisal, observations are in the form of desirable inclusions from both WFME and LCME grouped under corresponding criterion 5 as per NAAC guidelines. A total of 7 inclusions are B1.1.12, B4.3.3 and 3.6, 5.7, 10.7, 11.5, 12.6 from WFME guidelines respectively. Conclusion: Desirable inclusions may be looked into for possible inclusion in national assessment guidelines for health sciences institutions for ensuring more student centred and student friendly institutional ambience.
