If you’ve read Part 1, you already know NBA SAR 2025 is a game-changer.
If you’ve gone through Part 2, you’re aware of the major shifts from SAR 2015.
And in Part 3, we discussed why curriculum redesign is non-negotiable before applying.
Now in Part 4, we’ll get into the reality check.
Before you even touch the SAR, you need to qualify for it.
That’s where the Pre-Qualifier comes in.
This is the first major gate.
If you don’t pass this, your application won’t even be accepted.
No matter how good your labs are.
No matter how great your placements look.
NBA won’t even come to visit.
Let’s make sure you don’t get stuck at the gate.
Contents In this Article
Back to The Definitive 9-Part Series on Revised NBA SAR 2025 for Tier-I Engineering Colleges – Click here to access the full guide and explore all sections.
What to Expect in This Part
✔ A detailed look at the Pre-Qualifier criteria for Tier-I Engineering Programs
✔ Practical insights on how to qualify
✔ Criteria Wise Explanation
✔ Documents, deadlines, and ground realities you need to prepare for
✔ Common mistakes colleges make—and how to avoid them
Understanding the Pre-Qualifier as Revised NBA SAR 2025: The First Filter for Accreditation
1. AICTE Approval for Past 5 Years
What it means: Your program must have valid AICTE approval for the last five years, starting from the current academic year.
What NBA actually checks (not just online uploads):
Whether your land, buildings, labs, books, and faculty match AICTE norms
Whether you have filed the right Annexures that back up your AICTE approval
Recommended before applying, please ensure the Complaicne with AICTE. Refer AICTE Annexures as Follows:
a. Annexure 2: Existing institution documents
b. Annexure 3: Land and built-up area compliance.
c. Annexure 4: Library norms
d. Annexure 5: Faculty requirements per AICTE
Pro tip: Ensure physical compliance too. NBA visits are not virtual.
2. Student-Faculty Ratio ≤ 25:1 (CAY, CAYm1, CAYm2)
What it means: The SFR must not exceed 25 students per faculty, averaged over three years.
Key compliance points:
Faculty must be appointed before 30th August and be active till 30th April
They must have worked for two consecutive semesters
SNQ, EWS quota students are excluded from the count
Consolidated salary or hourly-based faculty won’t be counted
Faculty without teaching/practical load won’t be counted
Principal/Dean can be counted only if they have academic load
Documentation:
Appointment letters
Salary slips as per AICTE pay structure
Workload distribution
Academic calendars
3. Professor/Associate Professor with PhD in Dept. and Allied Departments
What it means: Depending on the number of programs and allied departments, your department must have:
At least 1 Professor or 1 Associate Professor with Ph.D. in CAY & CAYm1
And N such faculty for N additional UG programs (if applicable)
Compliance must-haves:
a. Designation should be frozen before 30th August
b. For allied or Sub departments < 3 years old, Professor/Associate Professor faculty counts can be excluded
c. Otherwise, Associate Professor/Professor count will apply for allied units too
Tip: Ensure your faculty designations are regularised and documented properly.
4. Minimum 10% PhD Faculty in Dept. & Allied Departments
What it means: At least 10% of required faculty must have a Ph.D. (averaged over CAY and CAYm1)
Only counted if:
a. Ph.D. awarded on or before 30th August of that year
b. Ph.D. from UGC-approved university with certificate in hand
c. Faculty must have assigned teaching load as per norms
d. Defended theses or provisional certificates do not count
Reminder: Document everything—certificates, UGC approval letters, appointment records. If you need personnel NBA approved File Format, please send a request to mail@deepeshdivakaran.com. I will send across the format.
5. Two Batches Passed Out
Your program must have two batches graduated at the time of applying.
This ensures the institution has maturity and data for outcome assessment.
A Note on Teaching Hours (SFR, Cadre, PhD Calculations)
Teaching load is more than classroom hours. It includes:
Project guidance
Labs, tutorials
Research, admin, innovation tasks
AICTE Load Norms:
16 hours/week for Professors
18 hours/week for Associate Professors
20 hours/week for Assistant Professors
NOTE: HODs, Deans get a 2-hour relaxation.
Ensure you are maintaining:
Workload allocation records
Time tables with proof of lab/tutorial/practical load
Faculty contribution sheets
Faculty Digital Empowerment & Infrastructure Readiness
What it means: NBA is not only evaluating your faculty strength on paper—but also how empowered and enabled your faculty really are.
Mandatory expectation:
All faculty members must be provided with:
A desktop computer or laptop
Internet connectivity at their office
Adequate printing facility
Basic office furniture and workspace
Recommended practices (especially for Tier-I institutions):
a. Cubicles for Assistant Professors to support focused work and academic preparation
b. Cabins for Associate Professors, Professors, and HoDs for academic and administrative work
c. Faculty workspace must encourage digital engagement, research, online learning and innovation
This is not just about comfort—it's about academic productivity.
Digitally disempowered faculty = Low research, poor outcomes, weak NBA scores.
If you miss any of the above, your SAR won’t even be evaluated.
So before applying, do a full internal audit using this guide.
To know more about the detailed changes introduced in the Revised NBA SAR 2025,👉 refer to Part 2 of this series: Revised NBA SAR 2025: Key Changes and Their Impact on Tier-I Institutes.
A Must-Read for Every Faculty Member: "Outcome-Based Education – A Practical Guide for Higher Education Teachers"
Revised NBA SAR 2025 is a game-changer, and if your institution isn’t already deep into Outcome-Based Education (OBE), you’re already behind.
For years, institutions have struggled to understand how to design and implement an outcome-based curriculum, map COs to POs, and assess learning effectively.
That’s exactly why I wrote "Outcome-Based Education – A Practical Guide for Higher Education Teachers 2."
✅ Trusted by 1000+ campuses across India
✅ The most practical resource on OBE implementation
✅ Explains curriculum design, teaching, and assessment strategies in depth
✅ Now more relevant than ever with SAR 2025 reforms
If your institution has not yet purchased this book, I highly recommend doing so now.
This book will help you navigate the new SAR expectations and design a truly outcome-driven learning experience for students.
Don’t just chase accreditation—build real academic excellence.
Make sure your faculty members have the right tools to succeed.
Back to The Definitive 9-Part Series on Revised NBA SAR 2025 for Tier-I Engineering Colleges – Click here to access the full guide and explore all sections.
Thanks for diving into this article! If it sparked some ideas or gave you value, why not take the next step?
Know More about me: Click here
Know more about my work: Click here
Subscribe to my website for more thought-provoking content and resources: www.deepeshdivakaran.com/subscribe
Buy my highly acclaimed book on Outcome Based Education, now used by 1000+ Institutes: Buy It Here at Special Author Price
Follow my NEP 2020 newsletter for exclusive insights into education reform: Subscribe Here
Download my free NEP 2020 Guides for in-depth insights into education policy: Download Now
Want to have a conversation or ask a question? You can call me or WhatsApp me directly at +91 8086015111.
Prefer email? Drop me a line at mail@deepeshdivakaran.com.
Your thoughts and feedback are always appreciated. Let's shape the future of education together!
Stay Inspired, Stay Informed.
Comments