Goals of IQAC:

• Planning and Preparations of Proposals to implement the Recommendations of the NAAC Peer Team during the Cycle 1 Visit for Assessment and Accreditation in 2007.
• Ensuring timely, efficient and progressive performance of academic, administrative and financial tasks.
• Optimization and integration of modern methods of teaching and learning.
• Overviewing the plans to implement credibility of evaluation procedures.
• Ensuring the adequacy, maintenance and proper allocation of support structure and services.
• Sharing of research findings and networking with other institutions in India and abroad.

Functions of IQAC:

Internal Quality Assurance Cell the College has developed several quality assurance mechanisms within the existing academic and administrative setup. Some of these are as follows:

• From the beginning the main objective of the cell is to plan and implement quality initiatives and evaluate. It conducts regular meetings with quality agenda and maintains its proceedings.
• Placed Plans and proposals for implementation of the recommendations of the NAAC Peer Team visit in 2007.
• It circulates its plan and takes steps for implementation.
• It supports to conduct workshops, awareness programmes, special lectures on quality innovations, Curricula, Teaching-Learning & Evaluation, Research oriented seminars etc. It analyses the feedback received from Students and other Stakeholders.
• It coordinates with all stakeholders for their opinions and advice for quality sustenance and quality improvement.
• Dissemination of information on various quality parameters of higher education.
• Enforces Academic and Administrative Auditing by external agency.
• It Plans and Supports effective implementation for Total Quality management, Curricula development, Teaching-Learning and evaluation, Research, Consultancy and Extension activities for all stakeholders.
• MHRD subcommittee, under IQAC regularly prepares the Reports for AISHE.
• Documentation of the various programmes/activities leading to quality improvement.
• It collects, maintains and analyses documents and document evidences directly or through the College Office.
• It prepares the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) and submits it to NAAC regularly after its inception.
• It appreciates, encourages and provides support required by the faculty for their quality sustenance and quality improvement in teaching, research & administration.
• Strategies have been adopted by institutions to satisfy the needs of the students from diverse backgrounds including socio-economic backward community complying with all the norms of the Government.

Some recommendations of the IQAC that have been approved by the Governing Body:

1. Renovation of Students Canteen and Common Rooms, Student and staff toilet in each floor of both the building.
2. Constituting an ICT sub-committee for upgrading Computer facilities in the college and the website of the college.
3. Optimization and integration of modern methods of teaching and learning in all departments.
4. Up gradation of a Central Library towards Semi autonomy.
5. Journal and e-journal Procurement.
6. Extension, renovation and purchase of modern and necessary equipments for all science laboratories.
7. Separate computer laboratories for computer application based subjects like Physics, Mathematics & Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Geography, Journalism & Mass Communication and Commerce.
8. Transparent and Technology oriented Admission Procedure.
9. Up gradation of existing Software and LAN for office work.
10. Wi-Fi campus.
11. Promotion of Research and Publication by Faculty.
12. Promotion of Extension activities.
13. Formation of ICT Club and ECO Club.
14. Introduction of NSS activities.
15. Revival of NCC unit of the college.
16. Formation of different cells like Placement Cell, Anti-Ragging Cell, Grievance Cell, Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell, Women’s Cell.

Decisions of the IQAC that have been implemented:

• All of the above approved suggestions have been implemented.

Students and alumni contribute to the effective functioning of the IQAC:

• The students play the role of active learners who help in creating systems according to their needs and requirements. They make suggestions regarding improvement in teaching-learning process, examination system, day-to-day facilities like library services, leisure or canteen services etc. they are also informed about the decisions taken or policies made by IQAC for their welfare through notices & announcements etc. As far as the alumni of the college are concerned, IQAC makes special efforts to involve them in the college programme.

The IQAC communicate and engage staff from different constituents of the institution by the:

• Representatives of all stakeholders—Teachers, Students, Non-Teaching Staff, Alumni association and Governing body are present in the IQAC team who give their opinions and also convey the work, plan and activities of IQAC to their respective communities.
• All major strategies of IQAC are formulated in consultation with  faculty members and  at the time of execution of various plans,  staff members and students are generally taken into confidence. As they are with IQAC from the seeding, planting, and cultivating process, this association contributes to the effective functioning of the college.

The institution undertakes Academic Audit or other external review of the academic provisions and its outcomes:

• The institution undertakes Academic Audit. After thorough analysis by IQAC Internal Audit Team and academic subcommittee of the college, strategies are evolved to raise the graph of achievements and widen the horizons.
• The outcomes — such as student intake, results, research etc are analyzed and adequate measures are taken to the institutional activities for the betterment of the institution.
• Many times new additions are made in the infrastructure to improve the teaching learning process. Every department keeps on adding equipment, books, journals, software for the benefit of the students.
• Academic calendar & Teaching Plan: The detailed layout of the teaching plan is offered in the Academic Calendar. The plans generally highlight the time schedule for completion of the internal examinations, form fill-up and commencement of University examinations. This enables the Students to know about the academic schedule and tentative dates of examination, etc. Moreover, the teachers would know the time frame for teaching – learning process and ensure the total attention for the completion of syllabi and possible revision.
• Learner-centric education approach through appropriate methodologies like Academic Calendar, Interactive & instructional techniques like audio-visual mode of teaching, ICT based learning, organizing seminars, debates, Lectures by experts from other colleges & University, Inter-departmental lecture exchange, & presentations. This is accompanied by experiential teaching like projects-based learning, Field work, surveys, experiments and practical classes, etc.
• Detailed information about the evaluation methods and the Examination schedule is given in the Prospectus which is provided to the students at the time of their admission and also in the Academic Calendar at the beginning of a session.
• The Principal regularly meets the various departments’ heads and solicits their feedback on the progress of the teaching-learning process of each department.

Thus, the systematic planning, organization and implementation of teaching – learning – evaluation is possible within the total scheme of university schedule. It is rational, realistic and scientific.

The institution communicates its quality assurance policies, mechanisms and outcomes to the various internal and external stakeholders through:

• Regular notification.
• The progress of the students is communicated to the students and their parents.
• Detail information is given in the Prospectus.
• Through the institutional official website: www.surendranathcollege.ac.in
• Policies and plans regarding the quality assurance are communicated to the faculty members, especially the newly appointed ones, in the beginning of the session.
• Policies and plans regarding the quality assurance are also communicated in meetings of the different sub-committees and in the meetings with the teacher’s Council, Non-teaching staff and students.
• Policies and plans regarding the quality assurance are communicated to the University, State Government, UGC and NAAC through different reports submitted annually. [Annual Academic Report, Performance Statement and Annual Quality Assurance Reports (AQAR)]

Benefits of functional IQAC:

IQAC has facilitated/ contributed in the following ways:

• Ensured heightened level of clarity and focus in institutional functioning towards quality enhancement.
• Ensured internalization of the quality culture.
• Ensured enhancement and coordination among various activities of the institution and institutionalize all good practices.
• Provided a sound basis for decision-making to improve institutional functioning.
• Acted as a dynamic system for quality changes in this Institution.
• Built an organized methodology for documentation and internal communication.

Challenges of IQAC:

• The primary challenge encountered is that of resistance—to change. A lot convincing and persistence measures to alter strategies wherever needed has resulted in a lot of time being lost.
• Work beyond duty hours for activities that go beyond teaching by faculty sometimes have created an element of resentment.
• Complete technical & man power support to the IQAC Coordinator is yet to be achieved.

We sincerely acknowledge that maintaining the momentum of quality consciousness is of crucial importance. It is common knowledge that no single strategy works on its own. Multiple methodologies therefore need to be used simultaneously to overcome barriers and setbacks that come in the way of quality sustenance and quality improvement. We commit ourselves to ensure that in future all stakeholders of this illustrious institution continue to remain fully engaged  in this endeavor so that together we may carry forward NAACs agenda on quality assurance.