QUALITY IS NEVER AN ACCIDENT. IT IS ALWAYS THE RESULT OF INTELLIGENT EFFORT” {JOHN RUSKIN}

INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE CELL (IQAC)

The IQAC of YBN University is committed to planning, guiding and monitoring the quality assurance, sustenance and enhancement activities of the University. In line with the vision and mission of the YBN University, the IQAC develops quality policies and standardization measures for the smooth functioning of the University. The IQAC has three subsidiary bodies:

Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC)

Sl.No.	Subsidiary Bodies	Works / Responsibilities
1	ACADEMIC MONITORING CELL	Mainly for Excellence is entrusted with the task of administering the feedback mechanism. They collect the feedback, analyses it and submit to IQAC for forwarding to the Principal to take
2	RESEARCH PROMOTION COUNCIL (R&D)	It is in charge of promoting a research culture in the College. They organize workshops, seminars and conferences related to innovations in research methods, processes and practices.
3	DOCUMENTATION CELL	It collects the data relating to various activities of the College and help to form a Management Information System (MIS) to right decisions at the right time with less time and more accuracy.

THE ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR

The role of the Director of the IQAC is crucial in ensuring the effective functioning of all the members. The Director of the IQAC may be a senior/competent person with experience and exposure in quality aspects. She/he may be a full-time functionary or, to start with, she/he may be a senior academic /administrator entrusted with the IQAC as an additional responsibility. Secretarial assistance may be facilitated by the administration. It is essential that the Director may have sound knowledge about the computer, data management and its various functions such as usage for effective communication.

OPERATIONAL FEATURES OF THE IQAC

Quality assurance is a by-product of ongoing efforts to define the objectives of an institution, to have a work plan to achieve them and to specify the checks and balances to evaluate the degree to which each of the tasks is fulfilled. Hence devotion and commitment to improvement rather than mere institutional control is the basis for devising procedures and instruments for assuring quality. The right balance between the health and growth of an institution needs to be struck. The IQAC has to ensure that whatever is done in the University for “Education” is done efficiently and effectively with high standards. In order to do this, the IQAC will have to first establish procedures and modalities to collect data and information on various aspects of institutional functioning.
The Director of the IQAC will have a major role in implementing these functions. The IQAC may derive major support from the already existing units and mechanisms that contribute to the functions listed above. The operational features and functions discussed so far are broad-based to facilitate institutions towards academic excellence and institutions may adapt them to their specific needs.

The University needs to submit yearly the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) to NAAC by end of September every year positively. A functional Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and timely submission of Annual Quality Assurance Reports (AQARs) are the Minimum Institutional Requirements (MIR) to volunteer for second, third or subsequent cycle’s accreditation. During the institutional visit the NAAC peer teams will interact with the IQACs to know the progress, functioning as well as quality sustenance initiatives undertaken by them.

The Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) may be the part of the Annual Report. The AQAR shall be approved by the statutory bodies of the Higher Educational Institutes (such as Syndicate, Governing Council/Executive Council/Board of Management) for the follow up action for necessary quality enhancement measures.

The IQACs may create its exclusive window tab on its institutional website for keeping the records/files of NAAC, Peer Team Reports, AQAR, and Certificate of Accreditation Outcomes and regularly upload/ report on its activities, as well as for hosting the AQAR.

THE ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR

The role of the Director of the IQAC is crucial in ensuring the effective functioning of all the members. The Director of the IQAC may be a senior/competent person with experience and exposure in quality aspects. She/he may be a full-time functionary or, to start with, she/he may be a senior academic /administrator entrusted with the IQAC as an additional responsibility. Secretarial assistance may be facilitated by the administration. It is essential that the Director may have sound knowledge about the computer, data management and its various functions such as usage for effective communication.

OPERATIONAL FEATURES OF THE IQAC

Quality assurance is a by-product of ongoing efforts to define the objectives of an institution, to have a work plan to achieve them and to specify the checks and balances to evaluate the degree to which each of the tasks is fulfilled. Hence devotion and commitment to improvement rather than mere institutional control is the basis for devising procedures and instruments for assuring quality. The right balance between the health and growth of an institution needs to be struck. The IQAC has to ensure that whatever is done in the University for “Education” is done efficiently and effectively with high standards. In order to do this, the IQAC will have to first establish procedures and modalities to collect data and information on various aspects of institutional functioning.

The Director of the IQAC will have a major role in implementing these functions. The IQAC may derive major support from the already existing units and mechanisms that contribute to the functions listed above. The operational features and functions discussed so far are broad-based to facilitate institutions towards academic excellence and institutions may adapt them to their specific needs.

The University needs to submit yearly the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) to NAAC by end of September every year positively. A functional Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and timely submission of Annual Quality Assurance Reports (AQARs) are the Minimum Institutional Requirements (MIR) to volunteer for second, third or subsequent cycle’s accreditation. During the institutional visit the NAAC peer teams will interact with the IQACs to know the progress, functioning as well as quality sustenance initiatives undertaken by them.

The Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) may be the part of the Annual Report. The AQAR shall be approved by the statutory bodies of the Higher Educational Institutes (such as Syndicate, Governing Council/Executive Council/Board of Management) for the follow up action for necessary quality enhancement measures.

The IQACs may create its exclusive window tab on its institutional website for keeping the records/files of NAAC, Peer Team Reports, AQAR, and Certificate of Accreditation Outcomes and regularly upload/ report on its activities, as well as for hosting the AQAR.

ROLE OF THE DIRECTOR

The following are the role and responsibilities carried by Director, IQAC:
• To coordinate the dissemination of information on various quality parameters of higher education.
• To coordinate the documentation of the various programmes / activities leading to quality improvement.
• To coordinate the quality-related activities of the institution.
• To coordinate in preparation of the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) to be submitted to NAAC based on the quality parameters.
• To coordinate the timely and efficient execution of the decisions of IQAC committee.

OPERATION FEATURES OF THE IQAC AT YBN UNIVERSITY

Some of the functions expected of the IQAC are:
a. Development and application of quality benchmarks/parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution;
b. Facilitating the creation of a learner-centric environment conducive to quality education and faculty maturation to adopt the required knowledge and technology for participatory teaching   and learning process;
c. Arrangement for feedback response from students, parents and other stakeholders on quality-related institutional processes;
d. Dissemination of information on various quality parameters of higher education;
e. Organization of inter and intra institutional workshops, seminars on quality related themes and promotion of quality circles;
f. Documentation of the various programmes/activities leading to quality improvement;
g. Acting as a nodal agency of the Institution for coordinating quality-related activities, including adoption and dissemination of best practices;
h. Development and maintenance of institutional database through MIS for the purpose of maintaining /enhancing the institutional quality;
i. Development of Quality Culture in the institution;
j. Preparation of the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per guidelines and parameters of NAAC, to be submitted to NAAC.

IQAC WILL FACILITATE / CONTRIBUTE:

• To a heightened level of clarity and focus in institutional functioning towards quality enhancement and facilitate internalization of the quality culture.
• To the enhancement and integration among the various activities of the institution and institutionalize many good practices.
• To provide a sound basis for decision making to improve institutional functioning.
• To act as a change agent in the institution.
• To better internal communication.

QUALITY ASSURANCE INITIATIVES TAKEN BY MIS / IQAC

ENROLLMENT DATA

Enrollment data is collected from Departments / Schools / Colleges every year by the Statistical Cell of constituent Colleges under YBN University- Ranchi. In the absence of IT support/resources and proper controls, it was difficult for them to ensure the quality. MIS/IQAC Cell took initiatives to compile the Master List of courses (year-wise) from Handbook of Information and other sources. It was ensured that all faculties, all departments, and all courses are included. Steps have been taken by MIS/IQAC Cell to improve the quality of data to ensure completeness and correctness of data

EXAMINATION DATA

Earlier, during data compilation for various surveys, data collected from various sources (e.g. manual results, computerized results, departmental results etc) would be summed up and sent. In the absence of any common list of courses it was difficult to ensure whether data about all the courses have been included. The format for data collection was prepared with pre-filled courses, and Controller of Examinations is requested to send the data in that format. The pre-filled data saved their time too, and at the same time ensured completeness of data and verification of courses at the same time.

RESEARCHERS DATA

Data about Researchers is collected at various sources like R&S Branch, General Branch, Secrecy Branch, Thesis Section etc. Meetings were held with the concerned dealings, format of data studied, problems and communication gaps were identified. MIS/IQAC took the source data (in MS Word format) from R&S Branch and converted it into MS Excel format for data analysis and has identified the data flow from enrollment till award of degree. Efforts are on to streamline the process in this direction and to get quality data/information about research statistics.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS DATA

Data storage and collection procedures have been refined to cater various national and international surveys. The information layout has been useful for internal purpose as well. Templates have been designed to collect data about various other activities like International Students data/MoUs signed by YBNU etc.