Accreditation In India: Accreditation
of educational institutions in India takes an eclectic approach in
India. A
framework for this approach was provided in the Constitution of India
that was adopted on 26th January 1950, a decade before the American
accreditation system arose.
The
establishment and accreditation of educational institutions in India go
along two tracks: institutions in the general (ie, secular) category,
and
institutions in the minority-community (ie, religious) category. Of
these, the
accreditation of institutions in the general category is regulated by
the Education Department and other related Government departments. On
the other hand, the accreditation of the syllabus of
minority-community theological institutions is
regulated by special accrediting agencies. These special agencies
can seek
Government approval, and are granted such approval directly by the
State and Central Government after the mandatory legal and official
examination. This is done under the Cultural and Educational rights
provided for in the Constitution of India.
Such government
permission or registration is neither required nor is mandatory under
the church/state separation laws of the country. However, registration
brings in greater accountability and transparency, and that is why
ICAATS opted for registration in 2003.
The relevant
clauses in the
Constitution are:
The
Constitution Of India
Cultural
and Educational Rights
29.
Protection of interests of minorities.—(1) Any section of the
citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof
having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have
the right to conserve the same.
(2)
No
citizen shall be denied admission into any educational institution
maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on
grounds only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them.
30.
Right of minorities to establish and administer educational
institutions. — (1) All minorities, whether based on
religion
or language, shall have the right to establish and administer
educational institutions of their choice.
(1A)
In
making any law providing for the compulsory acquisition of any
property of an educational institution established and administered
by a minority, referred to in clause (1), the State shall ensure that
the amount fixed by or determined under such law for the acquisition
of such property is such as would not restrict or abrogate the right
guaranteed under that clause.
(2) The
State shall not, in granting aid to educational institutions,
discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that
it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion
or language.
The
provisions made in the Constitution of India for the
minorities-led-institutions was reinforces on 21 December 2005 when a
special Bill related to the educational institutions of
minority-communities (including Christians) was passed. In effect this
Bill once again affirms that inter
alia
Bible schools, Theological Seminaries, etc in India shall not be
regulated or accredited by the Department of Education, but rather by
the State and Central Government (if these institutions seek government
involvement). It also implies that accreditation
councils for such institutions will be approved by the State and
Central Government, and not by the Department of Education.
Government registration or approval is neither required nor is
mandatory for Bible Schools and similar religious institutions. Such
registration is totally voluntary on the part of religious
institutions.
ICAATS
is an Accrediting Agency established under this clause with the
approval of the State and Central Government.
