91.Academic Audit – General Characteristics

When we hear the word ‘audit’ , what comes to our mind is a team of experts in finance visiting the institution, collect all the files from the accounts section, go through them and find fault with many of the things done and post a set of queries to be answered. Basically , it appears audit is a process of finding fault with what is done. However, academic audit is not to find fault with anybody but is a serious review of how things are being done with a view to improve things by self-criticism and mutual discussion and cooperation. These days, academic audit is mandatory in good institutions, but in NITC, we tried to introduce academic audit in 2007-2008 and let me share our experience with my dear readers. Kindly excuse me if you get bored going through this as it is a bit serious matter. In this episode, we shall see the essence of academic audit.

First, let us discuss the general aspects of academic audit. Basically, academic audit is a process in which the teachers, students, administrative authorities and auditors together evaluate or assess how things are being done and evolve better methods to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the institution. There are several salient features of the academic audit. First and foremost, the audit is done in the concerned institution itself , very often independently and is done as required by the institution, not to satisfy anybody else. Auditors will be people not connected with the institution. Almost every aspect of academic activity is will be studied and findings recorded.

The following are the important things to be done in an academic audit.

1.Are the academic activities pursued in an institution as per the procedure laid out by a higher authority such as university ?
2. Are the activities done in such a way that the objective or purpose intended is achieved?
3.Are the activities executed efficiently such that the purpose is achieved effectively?
4. Is the money spent on pursuing the activities spent according to the norms prescribed ?
5. Are the administrative set up and the instructions given to the staff helpful in executing the activities in a very good manner ?
6. Being an educational institution, are the things done in a way acceptable to the stakeholders such as students, teachers, parents and guardians of the students , other employees and those in the society who are ultimate beneficiaries?

What can be achieved by an Academic audit?

For students : Without increasing their work load, the ultimate objective of the education can be achieved .

For teachers : Create awareness about their responsibility and the way things are to be done without creating any misunderstanding

For the society: The money collected from the common people are utilized effectively for the uplifting the society.

For the employees : They get satisfactory remuneration and employment opportunities and ensure the right environment for doing their work .

The major three factors involved are :

1. Analysis of the teaching and learning processes
2. Analysis by the concerned authorities
3. Assessment by independent auditors

A questionnaire should be available for the purpose of conducting the audit. This should be prepared taking into account the existing practices in the institution and keeping in view the requirements to achieve the ultimate objectives effectively and without any extra effort.

For example, let us see the responsibility of the teachers

For a given subject, the following details may be collected . how many hours can be utilized in a semester .A particular teacher has engaged how many hours out of these, how many students attended his / her classes, has the teacher satisfactorily cleared the doubts raised by the students , has the teacher got adequate knowledge to teach the subject, is the teacher friendly with the students , how many class tests have been conducted by the teacher, has the teacher returned the answer scripts of the class test within a reasonable time, was the evaluation done accurately and fairly, was the teacher using essential teaching aids, has he or she given adequate class and home assignments, at the end of the semester, how many students have got minimum internal marks for a pass , how many students have failed in the internal evaluation, what is the maximum internal marks awarded, what is the minimum marks given , how many students have the minimum attendance requirements, how many did not get the minimum attendance. Etc.

Separate questionnaires will be available for teachers, students , heads of departments and other authorities

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