Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 4 (ANI/PNN): GITAM (Deemed to be University), a premier higher education institution with campuses in Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and Bengaluru has been accredited with a highly coveted A++ grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which was set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as an autonomous and independent entity. Following peer team visits in the month of February 2023 and third-party blind evaluation during the last six months, the institution secured a CGPA of 3.54 out of 4 in the third cycle of accreditation for an extended duration of seven years (the validity of accreditation is usually for a period of five years). The NAAC A++ accreditation makes GITAM (Deemed to be University) as one of the Top 3 per cent of Higher Education Institutions in India and one of the most sought-after HEIs in Southern India. As part of its accreditation process, NAAC assesses higher education institutions on a set of seven identified criteria: curriculum aspects; teaching-learning & evaluation; research, innovations & extension; infrastructure & learning resources; student support & progression; governance, leadership & management; and institutional values & best practices. The apex education accreditation body has also revised its grading framework, where 74 per cent of the evaluation is carried out by a third party from remote locations. Moreover, three-fourths of the overall evaluation matrix is now quantitative. According to the NAAC website, 4201 institutions have been accredited by NAAC across the country, of which only 3 per cent have been awarded A++ grade. Thanking and congratulating staff, students, and other stakeholders on this meritorious feat, Prof. Dayananda Siddavattam, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Jayasankar E Variyar, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academics) and Prof. Raja Prabu R, Director (IQAC), GITAM (Deemed to be University), said, "As a NAAC A++ accredited university, GITAM has raised the bar even higher and has come one step closer to fulfilling its mission of providing a futuristic, world-class, and comprehensive education to all, as well as, contributing to the community. The A++ grade also retained the Category - I status for us, opening access to many opportunities and privileges for GITAM, such as more academic & administrative autonomy, admitting foreign students up to 20 per cent, starting offshore campuses etc.,". Previously, GITAM was awarded A grade in the 1st Cycle (2011), A+ grade in the 2nd Cycle (2017) and now A++ in the third Cycle (2023). This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)