Workshop on education standards held in Karnataka

The National Board of Accreditation (NBA) held a workshop on “Outcome-based Education and Accreditation” in collaboration with Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences (RUAS) and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). The event took place on Saturday and drew over 300 academic leaders and administrators from colleges in Karnataka. The workshop focused on helping educational institutions meet the NBA’s strict accreditation standards. Anil Sahasrabudhe, the Chairman of the NBA, gave the keynote address. He emphasized the need for higher education to align with industry requirements. He introduced the Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies (GAPC-4) as part of the NBA’s new accreditation system. Sahasrabudhe noted that India produces over 1.5 million graduates every year. He highlighted the growth of the startup ecosystem in India, which has expanded from 400 startups a decade ago to 170,000 today. Future projections estimate about 1.7 million startups in the next ten years, reflecting a trend for students to become job creators instead of just job seekers. S. Vidyashankar, Vice Chancellor of VTU, spoke about the university’s commitment to UGC guidelines. He praised faculty efforts for sticking to academic timelines, especially regarding timely exam results. He also stressed that student placements are crucial for measuring academic program success and aligning education with job opportunities. M.R. Jayaram, Chancellor of RUAS, along with other key officials, attended the workshop's opening session.