Major universities in the State, including the Revenshaw University, the FM University, the Brahmapur University and the Utkal University, have not renewed their quality accreditation status, said the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) sources.
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has made quality accreditation and re-accreditation mandatory for all Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) from January 19 last through a notification.
However, it is embarrassing that most of the institutions and universities are still enjoying their accreditation status even after their accreditation expiry and misleading the stakeholders.
The UGC has declared penalties under 2(f) and 12 (B) of the UGC Act if after the expiry of accreditation, an institution fails to apply for accreditation within six months.
Among the institutions that lost their accreditation status for lapses include the BJB Autonomous College , the Ramadevi Autonomous College , the Vikramdev Autonomous College, Jeypore, the Bhadrak Autonomous College, the VN Autonomous College, the SVM Autonomous College, the PN Autonomous College (Khurda), the Nayagarh Autonomous College, the SCS Autonomous College, Puri, the Rajendra Autonomous College, Balangir, the Kendrapara Autonomous College, the Dhenkanal Autonomous College, the DD Autonomous College, Keonjhar, the Rayagada Autonomous College and the GM Autonomous College, Sambalpur.
On the other hand, very old UGC affiliated institutions in the State are still avoiding wittingly to accredited quality parameters by the NAAC.
"Quality accreditation by the UGC for all HEIs is a well appreciable proposal to bring refinement in the quality of education in the country but skipping the parameters by the institutions is undesirable," said education consultant Dilip Mangaraj.