Gokhale Institute's NAAC Rating Exposes Deeper Crisis

For decades, the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) in Pune stood as a beacon of academic excellence in India, producing economists and policymakers of national repute.

- Dheeraj Bengrut

PUNE: However, its recent downgrade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) to a 'B' grade with a score of 2.49 out of 4 has triggered alarm among students, faculty, and the academic community at large.

This steep decline in accreditation—after having secured an 'A+' with 97.4 out of 100 in 2004 and 'A' with a CGPA of 3.07 out of 4 in 2016—has not occurred in isolation. It is the result of a series of governance failures, leadership turmoil, and administrative missteps that have plagued GIPE over the past few years.

The NAAC accreditation for GIPE expired in March 2021. However, multiple delays—including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and leadership changes—prevented the institute from undergoing timely reassessment. NAAC had also revised its evaluation criteria, shifting towards a more evidence-based approach, which placed additional pressure on institutions to document academic and administrative progress.

By the time GIPE finally submitted its Self-Study Report (SSR) and hosted a NAAC peer team visit from January 20 to January 22, 2025, the institute was struggling to meet the updated standards. Despite efforts such as appointing Deans, conducting administrative audits, and implementing ERP systems, the institute fell short in key parameters, leading to its significant downgrade.

A senior GIPE official, speaking anonymously, admitted that NAAC's process had changed to focus more on quantifiable metrics. However, internal instability affected the institute's ability to adapt. The institution needed steady leadership, but instead, it faced multiple disruptions.