Contents in this Article1
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.
1. Introduction – Engineering for a Bigger Purpose
A student once asked me—
"Sir, why do we need to study ethics when we just want jobs?"
I paused.
And then said,
"Because if you don’t know why you’re building, the ‘how’ won’t matter."
The Revised NBA SAR 2025 has finally brought this truth home.
Until now, we trained engineers to design machines, build roads, write code.
But the world today needs something more.
It needs engineers who can solve without destroying, who can build without bias, and who understand that every code, bridge, or algorithm they create has a ripple effect on people, planet, and generations to come.
This part of the series is about that shift.
A shift from technical output to ethical impact.
From problem-solving to problem-owning.
From textbooks to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Revised NBA SAR 2025 has made one thing clear:
Sustainability and ethics are no longer side topics.
They are core expectations of every engineering program.
And they’re now criteria you’ll be scored on.
In this Part 7, we’ll explore:
– Why engineers are now held to higher social and environmental standards
– How PO7 and WK9 demand ethical behaviour, inclusion, and cultural awareness
– Where SDGs are being embedded in assessment rubrics (and how to prepare for it)
– What your college must do to move from tokenism to transformation
Because at the end of the day,
if our graduates can’t build a better world—then what exactly are we accrediting?
Let’s begin.
2. The Shift in Engineering Education – From Utility to Responsibility (Revised NBA SAR 2025)
For decades, engineering education was simple.
You built things that worked.
If it ran faster, cheaper, or stronger—
it was considered success.
But today, speed without sustainability is dangerous.
Code without ethics is destructive.
And utility without responsibility is no longer acceptable.
Revised NBA SAR 2025 recognizes this.
And now, it demands that engineering colleges teach students not just how to build—but how to care.
Care about…
The planet they build on
The people they impact
The consequences of their innovations
This is why SAR 2025 introduces new weightage to:
– Sustainability-linked projects
– Ethics and inclusion education
– Faculty mentoring in responsible engineering
– Student-led outreach and societal initiatives
From PO7 to WK9 — The Evolution is Clear
Earlier, PO7 simply asked for an understanding of ethics.
Now, it expects students to:
– Commit to human values
– Understand diversity and inclusion
– Make decisions based on public interest, not just profit
WK9 further deepens this expectation by embedding ethics, inclusivity, and responsible conduct into the very foundation of engineering knowledge.
The Message from NBA Is Loud and Clear:
We don’t just want smart engineers.
We want sensitive, self-aware, and socially grounded engineers.
This shift isn’t cosmetic.
It’s structural.
And it must reflect in your curriculum, projects, outreach, and assessments— or your SAR will fall short.
3. Where Sustainability and Ethics Show Up in Revised NBA SAR 2025
This isn’t a hidden expectation anymore.
The Revised SAR has clearly carved out space for colleges to show how they’re shaping socially responsible engineers.
Let’s decode exactly where.
1. Criteria 3.6 – Evidence of Addressing Sustainable Development Goals (10 Marks)
This is a standalone criterion now.
Not a sub-point. Not a footnote.
NBA expects to see:
– Student projects mapped to specific SDGs
– Faculty research with environmental or social relevance
– Campus-wide sustainability initiatives
– Posters, dashboards, and awareness drives
Your response must go beyond photos. You need outcome, not optics.
2. Criteria 9.11 – Initiatives and Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (10 Marks)
This looks at institutional commitment to SDGs.
– Has your college adopted any UN SDG formally?
– Do you run awareness campaigns, student clubs, or community engagements aligned to SDG goals?
– Are sustainable practices embedded in labs, hostels, or operations?
Maintain documentation of each activity → mapped SDG → stakeholder involved → visible impact.
3. PO7 – Ethics and Professional Responsibilities
This has expanded to include:
– National & international ethical frameworks
– Diversity and inclusion
– Human values in design and development
– Adherence to laws, codes, and standards
Your curriculum must reflect this—especially in 2nd/3rd year subjects and capstone evaluations.
4. WK9 – Knowledge of Ethics, Inclusion, and Conduct
This is one of the nine core knowledge profiles now assessed.
NBA expects your students to:
– Understand cultural sensitivities in design
– Respect gender, ethnicity, age, and physical ability differences
– Acknowledge privilege and responsibility as engineers
This must be visible in delivery, projects, and class discussions—not just theory exams.
5. Assessment Rubrics Must Include Ethical & Sustainable Thinking
Capstones, seminars, and mini-projects should be evaluated not just for technical merit - but also for:
– Social impact
– Environmental sensitivity
– Inclusive design thinking
Update rubrics to include these dimensions.
Where NBA Looks for These Values:
SAR Component | Expectation | Marks | Action Point |
Criteria 3.6 | SDG-aligned academic activity | 10 | Map projects & research to SDGs |
Criteria 9.11 | Institutional SDG commitment | 10 | Show campaigns, policies, initiatives |
PO7 | Ethics, law, human values | – | Embed in syllabus, evaluation, mentoring |
WK9 | Ethics, diversity, inclusion | – | Faculty delivery + campus culture |
Capstone Rubrics | Assessment on sustainability, impact | – | Rubric redesign with outcome focus |
4. Embedding Sustainability and Ethics into Curriculum and Projects
You can’t inject values at the last semester.
You have to build them in from the beginning.
Sustainability and ethics aren’t just topics.
They’re ways of thinking.
And if your curriculum doesn’t reflect that—NBA will know.
Step 1: Start with Curriculum Mapping
Every department must review its syllabus and course outcomes.
Ask:
– Do any units explicitly deal with ethics, society, or environment?
– Can we map these units to PO7 or WK9?
– Are case studies from real-world ethical failures or sustainable innovations included?
Pro Tip: Create a “PO–WK–SDG” mapping column in your curriculum matrix.
Step 2: Introduce Ethics Through Stories, Not Definitions
Don’t just teach what ethics is.
Teach what happens when ethics is ignored.
Examples:
– Boeing 737 Max failure
– Uber’s AI bias case
– Amazon’s carbon footprint initiatives
– Kerala Flood response tech innovation
Pro Tip: Use these in classroom debates, reflection essays, and peer-to-peer discussion modules.
Step 3: Align Projects with SDGs
Final-year and mini-projects must clearly mention:
– Which SDG(s) they address
– What social/environmental benefit the project has
– Whether it solves a local community problem
Pro Tip: Include an “SDG Impact Statement” in every project report template.
Step 4: Make Ethics Part of Assessment
A project that works but pollutes the environment should not get full marks.
Update your rubrics to include:
– Ethical compliance
– Sustainability awareness
– User-centric design
– Stakeholder impact
Pro Tip: Even lab experiments can include a reflection on safety, energy, or resource optimization.
Step 5: Encourage Reflection, Not Just Reports
At least once per semester, ask students to reflect:
– “What unintended consequences could my project have?”
– “Who might benefit—or get left behind—from my solution?”
– “How can I reduce harm while increasing value?”
Pro Tip: This builds lifelong ethical awareness—not just for NBA, but for real life.
Next, we’ll explore real examples of how top institutions are leading this shift—so you can benchmark and adapt.
5. Real Examples – How Institutes Are Doing It Right
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by frameworks.
So let’s bring this down to the ground.
Here’s how real institutions are embedding sustainability and ethics—not for SAR,
but because it’s the right thing to do.
1. SDG-Mapped Final Year Projects – A Government Engineering College in Tamil Nadu
Every final-year student must submit an “SDG Impact Note” with their capstone project.
A committee maps these projects to relevant SDGs, such as:
– Renewable energy (SDG 7)
– Water conservation (SDG 6)
– Sustainable mobility (SDG 11)
– Women’s health tech (SDG 3, 5)
These are published in an annual compendium and displayed during NBA visits.
Takeaway: Make SDG reflection a project requirement, not an afterthought.
2. Ethics Simulations in First-Year Curriculum – A Deemed University in Maharashtra
In their Engineering Ethics course, students take part in role-play debates and digital simulations.
Example: What should a civil engineer do if a structure doesn’t meet safety norms—but the contractor pressures for approval?
Students defend their decisions, reflect, and connect it back to PO7.
Takeaway: Teach ethics through dilemmas, not definitions.
3. Sustainability Labs – A Private Autonomous College in Kerala
This college has a Sustainability Innovation Lab where students work with faculty and NGOs to prototype low-cost water filters, composting units, and solar models for local use.
Projects are selected through SDG-based problem statements crowdsourced from the community.
Takeaway: Bring the world into your lab, not just the syllabus.
4. Green Campus Audit – A Tier I College in Karnataka
They conduct a full green audit every year:
– Carbon footprint
– Paper usage
– Energy consumption
– Waste segregation
The student-led audit report is submitted to the Principal and used in SAR under Criteria 9.11 and 3.6.
Takeaway: Sustainability can start on campus, before going global.
5. Ethics Clubs and Outreach – A Rural Engineering College in Andhra Pradesh
A student-run “Tech for Good” club works on projects like:
– Building mobile ramps for public buildings
– Teaching basic coding in tribal schools
– Awareness campaigns on energy saving
Faculty mentors document outcomes and mentor students in leadership and inclusion.
Takeaway: PO7 and WK9 come alive through student-led outreach.
These aren’t large-budget initiatives.
They’re simply value-driven actions with documentation.
And in the SAR 2025 world, these are the stories NBA wants to hear.
Next, we’ll look at what kind of documentation and evidence is expected—so these efforts don’t just stay in your heart, but also reflect in your accreditation file.
6. What Documentation and Evidence Will NBA Expect?
In the world of Revised NBA SAR 2025, good work is not enough.
It must be traceable, measurable, and aligned to outcomes.
Here’s how you prepare evidence for sustainability, ethics, and inclusion—without fluff or fakery.
1. SDG Mapping Sheets
Create a department-level sheet that lists:
– Course name or project
– Faculty in-charge
– SDG(s) addressed
– Nature of contribution (awareness, project, research, outreach)
– Outcome or impact
Pro Tip: Maintain semester-wise folders with dated documents, student names, and photographic proof.
2. Updated Project Report Templates
Include a mandatory section for:
– Ethical dilemmas encountered
– Inclusion/societal benefit
– Environmental footprint
– SDG Impact Note
Bonus: Ask students to reflect on "What could go wrong if this is misused?"
3. Evidence of Delivery – Not Just Intent
For ethics and SDG topics in curriculum:
– Lesson plans with PO7 and WK9 mapping
– PPTs with real-world examples or case studies
– Screenshots or photos from class debates or activities
– Student reflections or peer evaluations
Pro Tip: This proves the concept was actually taught and internalized.
4. Project Showcase Compendiums
Every year, publish a digital booklet with:
– List of top projects aligned to ethics/sustainability
– Photos, SDG mapping, student/faculty names
– Outcome (prototype, community use, industry relevance)
Upload on your website and link it in your SAR submission.
5. Outreach Logs and Posters
Whether it’s an ethics club, energy-saving campaign, or rural tech initiative—document it like this:
– Date
– Event name
– Stakeholders involved (with contact if possible)
– Photos with captions
– Outcomes (no. of people reached, problem addressed)
Pro Tip: Print them as display posters for the Peer Team Visit. Also retain digital logs.
6. Faculty Contribution Documentation
Faculty training and contribution to ethics/SRGs must be evident:
– FDPs attended or conducted (ethics, SDG, inclusion)
– Papers or talks on social impact topics
– Mentoring student projects with social innovation focus
Pro Tip: Highlight these under Criteria 6.1 and 6.2 during faculty appraisals.
Important Note: NBA now prefers continuous evidence over “visit-ready files.”
So don’t just prepare documents. Build habits.
Because evidence is strongest when it’s created in real-time—not during SAR panic season.
7. Final Thoughts – Build Engineers Who Can Be Trusted
When a bridge collapses, we don’t blame the cement.
We ask, “Who built it?”
That’s why ethics, sustainability, and inclusion matter.
Because in the real world, engineering isn’t just a skill.
It’s a responsibility.
Revised NBA SAR 2025 have started to understands this.
It now expects us to create not just capable engineers— but engineers who can be trusted.
Trusted to put people before shortcuts.
Trusted to solve without causing harm.
Trusted to lead with conscience in a complex world.
This shift is not about marks or rubrics.
It’s about mindset.
And if you don’t build it in your students now—
someone else will pay the price later.
You’ve reached the end of Part 7 of our 9-Part Series.
In the next part, we’ll look at the revised structure of curriculum design, delivery, and how it aligns to WK, PO, and real learning outcomes under SAR 2025.
Until then—
If you haven’t yet, grab a copy of my book:
If you’ve been following this guide, you already know that “Outcome-Based Education – A Practical Guide for Higher Education Teachers” was never written just for accreditation.
It was written for educators who want to rebuild education, from the classroom outward.
If your faculty reads it, uses it, and reflects on it—your next SAR will not be a struggle.
It will be a story of what you’ve already achieved.
And if you found this part useful, share it with a colleague who still thinks ethics is “just a theory paper.”
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 In
Kommentare