None of the Delhi University colleges have managed to secure the top grade, A++, from the National Accreditation and Assessment Council. To get the top grade, an institution has to score between 3.76 and 4 on the council’s points-based system.

While Shri Ram College of College got the highest score of 3.65 (A+ grade), Lady Shri Ram College for Women was second with 3.61 and Hindu College third with 3.60, The Indian Express reported. It is mandatory for all educational institutions in the country to get an accreditation from NAAC, an autonomous body under the University Grants Commission.

St Stephen’s College, one of the country’s most sought-after institutions, scored only 3.21 and was placed in the 12th position. Khalsa Collge, Kirori Mal College and Kamala Nehru College all scored higher than St Stephens.

The NAAC accreditation, its scores and rankings are valid for the next five years. The body judges colleges based on teaching-learning techniques, infrastructure resources, student support, governance and leadership management among other parameters. A team from the NAAC visits colleges and interacts with the teachers, students and alumni before giving them a grade.

The UGC had made the NAAC accreditation mandatory in 2012 and the DU executive council adopted it in 2014. Teachers and principals, however, had argued that it was not fair to judge all colleges on same parameters.