Outcome-based accreditation – UGC NET Question

Outcome-based accreditation focuses on whether students acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes described in programme outcomes, rather than solely on inputs such as hours of instruction or facilities. Accrediting agencies look for evidence that graduates meet these outcomes through assessments and performance indicators. The stem describes frameworks that emphasise graduate achievement of outcomes, which is the essence of an outcome-based approach. Therefore, Option B is correct.

Option A:
Outcome-based approaches encourage alignment between curriculum, teaching and assessment so that learning is systematically geared toward intended results. This improves accountability and transparency in higher education quality assurance, aligning with the description in the question.

Option B:
Input-based approaches emphasise resources like teacher qualifications and infrastructure without systematically checking learning outcomes. While still important, they are not the main focus of the frameworks described in the stem, making Option A inappropriate.

Option C:
Time-based approaches might focus on duration of study (such as years or semesters) without necessarily linking to measurable outcomes, which again differs from what the question highlights. Therefore, Option C is not suitable.

Option D:
Ritualistic approaches imply going through formalities without substance, which is not the objective of serious accreditation work. Hence, Option D does not fit the context.