The accreditation framework of India’s higher-education regulator, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), is under sharp criticism. A recent parliamentary committee report described the entire process whether accreditation or re-accreditation as “long, bureaucratic and cumbersome,” urging immediate reforms to restore the institution’s credibility. 

At the root of the problem lies a combination of procedural delays and overlapping oversight mechanisms. Institutions must undergo comprehensive assessments every five years, including annual reports and in-depth site inspections by peer review teams a scheme that demands significant time and resources from college administrators. The committee pointed out that this repeated, resource-intensive cycle leaves educational institutions weighed down by paperwork rather than able to focus on teaching and research. 

Further raising eyebrows is a recent scandal involving bribery: in 2025, the central investigating agency arrested several members of a NAAC inspection committee in connection with alleged fake grades awarded in exchange for cash, gold, and other inducements from a private university. This scandal not only dented NAAC’s reputation, but also shook public trust in the broader accreditation system leading to calls that any future approval process must be transparent and free from undue discretion.

Responding to the flaws, NAAC had earlier announced a shift to e-inspection models and signalled a revamp of its grading framework. Under the new plan, instead of the traditional multi-letter grading scale (A++, A+, etc.), institutions would simply be marked as “accredited” or “not accredited.” Further progression would then depend on a “maturity-based” system spanning levels 1 through 5 a move intended to simplify evaluation, increase clarity, and reduce opportunities for manipulation. 

However, the parliamentary panel argues that the changes are not enough. The overarching demand is for a thorough overhaul: streamlined processes, clearer benchmarks, timely inspections, and much stricter oversight to ensure accountability. With growing distrust after the bribery scandal, restoring faith in NAAC and by extension, in higher education accreditation across the country will require both structural reforms and strong leadership.

For students, parents, and institutions alike, the credibility of NAAC’s certification matters: it affects admissions, funding, autonomy, and overall quality assurance. If handled well, these reforms could help rebuild confidence in India’s higher-education system making accreditation a meaningful indicator of institutional quality, rather than just a certificate.