BHARAT EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL WELFARE SOCIETY AND ANOTHER Vs. NATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION COUNCIL AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioners have challenged order dated 28.05.2013 by which the Executive Council of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has debarred the petitioner-college for a period of 2 years on the basis of a decision taken in its 63rd meeting held on 23.03.2013.

(2.) In brief, in order to grant accreditation, the NAAC constitutes the Peer Team who inspects the institute(s) seeking accreditation. In this case, a Peer Team, duly constituted by respondent no.1-NAAC, inspected the petitioner-college on 28/29.03.2011 and submitted its report on the basis of which accreditation was awarded on 08.01.2012. After expiry of almost one year, i.e. on 12.04.2012, the petitioner-college received a show cause notice with reference to assessment and accreditation of their institute during March 28-29, 2011. The petitioner-college was apprised that during the process of assessment exercise, their institution had paid extra money and gifts other than the eligible TA/DA and honorarium to the members of the Peer Team which comprises of Prof. P.K.Mishra, Dr. H.M.Kasinath and Dr. Gaikwad Prakash Rambhau. It was considered to be a serious matter by the Executive Council of respondent no.1-NAAC and in its meeting held on 10.03.2012, it decided to keep the accreditation of the petitioner-college suspended till the matter is resolved and the petitioner-college was directed not to mention or use the accreditation status till further orders.

(3.) The petitioner-college filed reply to the show cause notice on 18.04.2012 in which it was categorically averred that they had paid only TA/DA, honorarium, sitting charges, co-ordination fee claimed by respected members/Chairperson in writing. The detail of the amount which was paid by the petitioner-college to the members of the Peer Team was also mentioned in the reply, which reads as under:- <FRM>JUDGEMENT_560_LAWS(P&H)9_2013_1.html</FRM>