Strategic Planning for NAAC Accreditation: A Roadmap for Indian Higher Education Institutions to Achieve Excellence

This research paper presents a comprehensive framework for strategic planning in Indian higher education institutions seeking National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation. The study examines the critical components of effective strategic planning, analyzes the NAAC assessment framework, and proposes a systematic roadmap for institutions to achieve accreditation excellence. Through analysis of successful institutional cases, literature review, and empirical data from 75 Indian higher education institutions, this research identifies key strategic elements including leadership commitment, stakeholder engagement, quality culture development, and continuous improvement mechanisms. The paper introduces a five-phase strategic planning model specifically designed for NAAC accreditation preparation, encompassing readiness assessment, strategic planning, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability phases. Findings indicate that institutions following structured strategic planning approaches demonstrate significantly higher accreditation success rates and sustained quality improvement. The research contributes to the understanding of quality assurance in Indian higher education and provides practical guidance for institutional leaders, quality assurance coordinators, and policymakers.