NBA Accreditation: Why Does it Matter?

How do students decide which college to go to? Many follow in their friends’ footsteps and enrol in the same college, while a few others do as per their parents’ suggestion. However, most of them prefer to do independent research and choose the institute that provides the courses and programmes they want. 

Furthermore, when it comes to engineering, medical, and architecture courses, students must carefully choose the right college. But it is difficult to make the correct choice when multiple institutes claim to be the best and offer a plethora of in-demand diploma and degree programmes. That is where NBA accreditation comes into play; accredited colleges indicate high-quality education dedicated to providing comprehensive student development. 

What is NBA Accreditation? 

NBA, which stands for National Board of Accreditation, is one of the two significant organisations that provide accreditation to higher educational institutions in India. Moreover, it is a regulatory body, thereby propelling colleges to improve their academic quality and overall approach. 

Therefore, NBA accreditation reflects the fact that the particular institute meets the pre-established standard of excellent education structure. Besides, it means that field experts have examined the programs offered by the institute and that they are on par with global best practices. 

 

Why Does NBA Accreditation Matter? 

1. Ensures Superior Quality In Teaching and Learning 

The education sector is one of the most successful industries with the potential for gradual expansion; hence, there is always intense competition between schools and colleges to be on top. Meanwhile, measures to increase student enrollment and ROI are often the priority in many cases, leading to lackadaisical approaches that cause ineffective educational outcomes. 

On the other hand, institutes’ tendency to put little to no effort into altering the curriculum and adopting mandatory changes to instructional techniques is detrimental. Consequently, it impacts learning habits and dissuades students from pursuing new and different ways to gather knowledge.

In contrast, accreditation ensures that institutes implement specific plans of action to meet the quality standards of the NBA. So, naturally, it relates to them incorporating excellent teaching methodologies and appropriate infrastructure to support student learning. Also, it suggests that the colleges conduct continuous quality improvement to enhance overall efficiency. 

2. Boosts Student Performance 

According to a report by a leading tabloid, over 15 lakh students in India graduate from engineering colleges every year. But, unfortunately, out of them, only two lahks succeed in getting a job; a few crucial factors include the all-India low capacity utilization being as low as 49.2 percent. 

Furthermore, the National Employability Report for Engineers indicates the employability of engineers in IT services companies is merely 16.25% and 3.4% for IT products. Also, it goes as high as 39% for non-tech roles like ITeS/BPO associate. Additionally, it is notable that companies and corporate organizations look for skilled employees who are capable of handling different situations and tasks. 

Therefore, institutes include NBA-approved programs that use outcome-based education (OBE), which relates to skills and knowledge that students should be able to demonstrate by the program’s end. Furthermore, the focus is on consistent performance evaluation, which enables students to perform better with teachers’ timely intervention. So, they gain employment competencies by the time they graduate from college and can crack a particular interview. 

3. Facilitates Comprehensive Development  

Imparting theoretical knowledge to students is not the only purpose of education; instead, they need to think from a broader perspective. And accreditation enables them to achieve the goal with the help of SWOT analysis, which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Furthermore, teachers use it to thoroughly evaluate students’ academic performance, helping them record their progress. 

Additionally, teachers and institutes can work together conveniently to collect and store student data with the help of an accreditation data management system. Consequently, it will help them organize large data sets and gain insight; it can help them decide if they need to take any specific steps to moderate the course or program. Hence, students will be able to understand their strengths and weaknesses and undergo comprehensive development. 

4. Builds Trust in the Institution 

If someone searches for the top colleges or universities on the internet, they will get long lists of suggestions, making it hard to choose the right one. But having NBA accreditation will ensure that the particular institute has undergone necessary criteria-based and high-quality standard evaluations. 

Therefore, it increases public accountability and builds confidence and trust in the institute; students and their families can trust the college, which will provide a superior education. 

5. Better Chances at Higher Studies and Jobs Abroad 

NBA is a member of the Washington Accord, enabling NBA-accredited colleges to match the undergraduate education quality with other member countries. Moreover, it increases the employment possibility of engineering graduates and professionals at the international level. 

Simultaneously, it helps students graduating from accredited programs to pursue postgraduate studies in other countries' universities. 

In Conclusion 

NBA accreditation has become a mark of distinction in the arena of global education as it helps to enhance academic procedures and ensure the fulfilment of student’s learning outcomes. Therefore, engineering and technical colleges have been adopting the necessary changes to meet the standards.