Maturity Models and Quality Assurance in Indian Higher Education

Abstract

Education is expected to be the prime driving force behind the mission of “Rising India” as it enhances people’s productivity and creativity and promotes entrepreneurship and innovation in society. It helps form personality and inculcate intellectual abilities among its learners. The rising concern about quality in higher education marks a fundamental shift in viewing education in our society—from a functional approach to an instrumental one. The study investigates the application of maturity models as tools for advancing quality assurance standards in Indian higher education institutions (HEIs). The research identifies their role in systematically assessing institutional development and ensuring compliance with accreditation benchmarks to evaluate these models. The study explores key frameworks, their stages of progression, and their effectiveness in addressing challenges unique to Indian HEIs. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) recently announced major reforms in its accreditation process based on the Dr K. Radhakrishnan Committee report to enhance the quality and credibility of Indian higher educational institutions. The most prominent feature of this reform is the introduction of the Maturity-Based Graded Accreditation process in India. Findings aim to provide insights into enhancing institutional performance, fostering continuous improvement, and aligning quality assurance practices with global standards. This research contributes to the discourse on quality enhancement and accreditation, supporting HEIs in achieving excellence and sustainability. The present paper analyses the different maturity models formulated at different points in time and tries to explore which one appears to be most suitable for the proposed Maturity-Based Graded Accreditation process of the NAAC. In the case of higher education, it is the requirements of its different stakeholders, like students, parents, and society at large. The entire exercise of the HEIs involves three ingredients: input, process, and output.