Fr Agnel College, Pilar, awarded A+ by NAAC
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) awarded the prestigious A+ Grade to Fr Agnel College of Arts & Commerce, Pilar, during the recently conducted third Cycle of accreditation, with a CGPA of 3.28 (the highest yet given to any College in Goa). Presently only one other college has an A+ Grade, that too an autonomous College, unlike Fr Agnel College which is an affiliated institution. With the score/grade secured, Fr Agnel College presently becomes the institution with the highest score in Goa, and among the relatively select few in India.
Established in 1991, having close to thousand students enrolled, the College is managed by the Xaverian Educational Society (XES), which comes under the aegis of the Society of Pilar. The College offers Arts, Commerce and Computer Applications undergraduate degree programmes, besides PhD in Economics and Commerce (under the cluster option).
College Principal Prof. Savio Falleiro explained that it is mandatory that every institution of higher learning in India, be it University or College, be assessed and accredited by NAAC. This assessment/accreditation is valid for a period of 5 years, after which every institution has to prepare and re-apply for fresh assessment/accreditation. He added that the national body does a thorough assessment of every institution on seven major fronts, which includes matters related to curricular aspects; teaching-learning; leadership/governance; research; extension; student support; infrastructure; innovative/healthy practices etc. He added that while 70% of the evaluation is done by NAAC through quantitative inputs provided by the College (online mode) with adequate proof that includes geo-tagged photographs; 30% evaluation pertains to qualitative inputs provided by the College that are assessed by a three member NAAC Peer Team during their physical visit to the College. The Peer Team members visiting the College consisted of eminent persons: Prof. Shankarrao Junare – Chairperson (Director, National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat); Prof. K. Raju Murugan (Former Dean, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu); and Prof Jagadish Saboo (Principal, Shankarlal Khandelwal Arts, Science and Commerce College, Akola, Maharashtra). Principal Prof Savio Falleiro indicated that the College did extremely well in the various parameters. While thanking Associate Professor Loren Diniz who was the IQAC Coordinator, he expressed sincere gratitude to the support of the College Management, Rev. Fr. Mateus Fernandes (Chairman – XES) and Rev. Fr Santosh D’Souza (Administrator). He added that different stakeholders, including Goa University, Directorate of Higher Education, Government of Goa, the teaching/non-teaching staff, support staff, students, parents, alumni, etc., contributed to the excellent performance.
NAAC Peer Team Members handing their Report to Principal Prof Savio Falleiro and Ms Loren Diniz (IQAC Coordinator) at the Exit Meeting
NAAC Peer Team members with Principal Prof Savio Falleiro and Teaching & Non-Teaching Staff.
NAAC Peer Team members being welcomed by Fr Mateus Fernandes (Chairman – XES) and Principal Prof Savio Falleiro