The University of Madras has been graded A++, with a score of 3.59 over 4, in the recent NAAC assessment. This means the University Grants Commission has granted it full autonomy as the University is now a top-ranked institution in the country.
In the previous cycle in 2014, the university had received A grade.
In infrastructure and learning resources, the university scored 3.85 grade points and in curricular aspects, it received 3.8 grade points. In institutional values and best practices, the university has scored 3.57 and the teaching-learning and evaluation has been rated 3.67, pushing up its overall score.
Vice-Chancellor S. Gowri, who demitted office on Sunday, credited the team with this achievement. The inspection was done earlier this month. ‘Keep in Mind Our University, Our Future’ was the motto the team worked on, he said, adding, “The alumni gave a lot of support for renovation of the IQAC office, the Senate House and the Main Campus. Everything was possible because of the illustrious alumni.”
A cultural event was held at the Senate House on the last day of the NAAC team’s visit. Mr. Gowri attributed the achievement to “the unity and integrity of the faculty as a team“ that worked over a year across various campuses.
Former Vice-Chancellor S.P. Thyagarajan said, “The university will be put under category 1. It can have two off-campuses and offshore campus, develop any curriculum in any general discipline, except medicine and engineering. They need only to inform the UGC.”
The grading allows the university to start online distance education programme without UGC inspection or restrictions. It can tie up with foreign universities, start twinning and joint degree programmes. “They will also become eligible for the Institute of Eminence status in case there is another call,” he said.
According to him, the university would receive a preferential consideration in special projects in the coming years.
P. Duraisamy, another former Vice-Chancellor, said the university is now qualified for a grant of ₹100 crore under Scheme II of the Rashtriya Uchchatar Siksha Yojana of the Union Ministry of Education. Earlier, it was only ₹50 crore for category 1 universities. “Similarly other government funding agencies such as DST, DBT research grants depend upon the NAAC grades,” he added.
As many as 124 colleges across the districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram are affiliated to the 164-year-old university.
