The University Grants Commission (UGC) acknowledges the importance of NAAC accreditation in maintaining the quality of higher education institutions (HEIs) in India. NAAC criteria, such as curricular aspects, teaching-learning, research, infrastructure, and governance, have traditionally been integral for granting HEIs privileges and entitlements under various UGC regulations.
To align with the evolving goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, UGC is revising the NAAC evaluation framework and has proposed a binary assessment framework. Under the binary assessment framework, institutions will be categorized as "Accredited," "Provisionally Accredited," or "Not Accredited" based on qualitative metrics without CGPA disclosure. After that, the HEIs will also be judged from Levels 1 to 5 based on their maturity.

While the timeframe for implementation of the binary assessment framework is not yet defined, UGC during this interim period has introduced the "NEP Implementation Framework" as an another measure to assess HEIs' progress in adopting NEP objectives like multidisciplinary education, skill development, and digital integration based on the percentage score achieved in this framework, certain privileges and entitlements would be available to the institutions which were earlier only based on NAAC Accreditation.
This alternate pathway will allow HEIs to secure privileges and entitlements, ensuring continuity and alignment with the transformative goals of NEP 2020. This new draft framework is highlighted below.
Two-Step Evaluation Framework

1. Eligibility Qualifiers
HEIs must fulfill the following 11 parameters to qualify for the NEP Implementation Framework evaluation:
2. Quantifier Parameters
The quantifier parameters consist of 49 specific metrics spread across categories like teaching, research, infrastructure, and community engagement. Below is the detailed table of parameters, their applicability, and maximum scores:
S.NO |
Parameters | Applicable for universities Autonomous colleges/ colleges/ All |
1. | Faculty Members on a regular/permanent basis against the sanctioned posts? OR Does the HEI comply with the required faculty: student ratio prescribed by the regulatory authority concerned? | All |
2. | Has the HEI-appointed Professor of Practice? | All |
3. | Are at least 75% of teachers trained under the Malviya Mission Teachers Training Programme? | All |
4. | Is the HEI recognized under Section 12 B of the UGC Act, 1956? | All |
5. | Did the HEI participate in the latest NIRF ranking | All |
6. | Does the HEI have an enrolment of 3000 or more students in the current academic session? (Students enrolled in affiliated colleges/ in ODL/Online mode should not be included by the Universities) | All |
7. | Does the HEI update the Undertaking Transformative Strategies and Actions in Higher Education (UTSAH) Portal regularly? | All |
8. | Does the HEI update the A1SHE portal annually? | All |
9. | Has the HEI implemented 4-year UG programs with multiple entry and exit (in eligible programs)? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
10. | Has the registration of at least 95% of the students of the preceding academic session, uploading of their credits, and mapping of their records on the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) portal been completed? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
11. | Has the parameter mentioned in S.No.10 also been completed from the academic session 2021-22 onwards? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
12. | Has the HEI adopted the National Credit Framework (NCrF) with the approval of its Statutory Bodies? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
13. | Has the HEI adopted the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes with the approval of its Statutory Bodies? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
14. | Has the HEI adopted the Curriculum and Credit Framework for Postgraduate Programmes with the approval of its Statutory Bodies? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
15. | Whether the HE! has nominated NEP- SAARTHIs? | All |
16. | Has the HE! established a Research and Development (R&D) Cell? | All |
17. | Whether the HEI has established a placement cell and the students have been placed in the last academic session. | All |
18. | Has the HE! established an Industry Relation Cell and Community Relation Programmes and students benefitted in the last academic session? | All |
19. | Has the HE! established an Alumni Connect Cell | All |
20. | Are the buildings of HE! accessible for differently-abled persons? | All |
21. | Whether the HEI signed MoUs with industries for internship/apprenticeships and students, have availed of internships/apprenticeships in the last academic session? | All |
22. | Does the HEI offer Internship/Apprenticeship embedded Degree programs and has enrolled students in such programs? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
23. | Does the HEI offer teaching in Indian languages? | All |
24. | Does the HEI allow students to write the examinations in an Indian language of their choice, irrespective of the medium of instruction? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
25. | Whether the HEI contributed to the ASMITA (Augmenting Study Materials in Indian languages through Translation and Academic writing) initiative of UGC | Universities |
26. | Has the HEI implemented the UGC guidelines to provide equitable opportunity for the socio-economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) in the HEIs? | All |
27. | Did the HEI provide financial support to needy/meritorious students in the form of scholarships/freeships/fee waivers out of funds of institution/parent trust in the last academic session? | All |
28. | Has HEI enrolled international students for the current academic session? (Figures of affiliated colleges should not be included by the Universities) | All |
29. | Has the HE! published the Academic Calendar during the last three academic years, including the current academic session? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
30. | Has the HEI incorporated IKS into its curricula? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
31. | Whether the HEI has academic collaboration with foreign HEis to offer Twinning Programmes, Joint and Dual Degree Programmes, and has enrolled students in such programmes? | Universities |
32. | Has the HEI adopted CUET for admission to UG and PG programmes? | All |
33. | Has the HE! adopted the UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) for admission to Ph.D.? | Universities |
34. | Does the HE! redress grievances on the E-Samadhaan portal of UGC regularly? | All |
35. | Does the HEI provide feedback on the UGC University Activity Monitoring Portal (UAMP) regularly | All |
36. | Is the online portal for redressal of students' grievances as per UGC Regulations functional? | All |
37. | Has the HEI complied with the University Grants Commission (Grant of degrees and other awards by Universities) Regulations,2008? | Universities |
38. | Has the HEI implemented UGC SWAYAM Regulations, 2021, and students have been allowed credits of SWAYAM courses? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
39. | Does the University offer Online and ODL courses as per UGC Regulations? | Universities |
40. | Has the HEI implemented anti-ragging measures as per UGC Regulations? | All |
41. | Whether the incumbent Vice- Chancellor has been appointed as per the UGC Regulations? | Universities |
42. | Has the HEI adopted UGC guidelines on Pursuing two Academic Programmes simultaneously, and have students pursued two programs simultaneously? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
43. | Has the HEI implemented the UGC Guidelines on Promotion of Physical Fitness, Sports, Student’s Health, Welfare, Psychological and Emotional Well-Being at Higher Education Institutions of India? | All |
44. | Has the HEI implemented the UGC- Mulya Pravah: Human Values and Professional Ethics in Higher Education Institutions? | All |
45. | Has the HEI implemented the UGC Guidelines on fostering Social Responsibility and community engagement in Higher Education Institutions 2.0? | All |
46. | Has the HEI implemented the UGC Curriculum on Life Skills (Jeevan Kaushal) 2.0 | All |
47. | Has the HE! implemented the UGC Guidelines and Curriculum Framework for Environmental Education at the UG level? | Universities and Autonomous Colleges |
48. | Has the HEI impanelled Local Artists/Artisans as Artist(s)- In-residence as per UGC Guidelines? | All |
49. | Has the HE! prepared its Institutional Development Plans as per UGC Guidelines? | All |
Note: 30 Parameters are applicable for all HEIs; 13 Parameters are applicable for Universities and Autonomous Colleges; and 6 Parameters are applicable for universities only.
Achievements Under the NEP Framework
The following table summarizes the achievement percentages of institutions based on their performance in the quantifier parameters:
Achievement of Parameters | Minimum parameters to be fulfilled | ||
| University (49) | Autonomous College (43) | College (30) |
85% | 42 | 37 | 26 |
75% | 37 | 32 | 23 |
65% | 32 | 28 | 20 |
55% | 27 | 24 | 17 |
45% | 22 | 19 | 14 |
35% | 17 | 15 | 11 |
Eligibility for various privileges and entitlements based on NEP Implementation Framework
The UGC regulations outline specific privileges tied to institutional performance. The table below highlights existing provisions and proposed benchmarks:
Name of Regulations | Existing Provision | Proposed Benchmark to be Achieved |
A. The University Grants Commission (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020 |
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C. University Grants Commission [Categorisation of Universities (Only) for Grant of Graded Autonomy] Regulations, 2018 |
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D. University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status Upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2023 |
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to become eligible to apply
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E. University Grants Commission (Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Higher Educational Institutions to offer Twinning, Joint Degree and Dual Degree Programmes) Regulations, 2022 |
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F. UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education, 2018 |
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Call to action
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