Validity
The certificate is valid for a defined period of three years, subject to annual surveillance.
The DRONĀ Framework
Five assessment domains, a defined pathway and progressive certification levels.
Assessment Domains
Five dimensions of professional practice
Every applicant, regardless of category, is assessed across the same five domains, together worth a maximum of 1,000 marks.
| Domain | Focus | Base Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| D1 — Teaching and Student Success | Teaching effectiveness, learning outcomes, mentoring and student development | 350 marks (35%) |
| D2 — Research, Innovation and Professional Excellence | Research impact, innovation, consultancy and professional recognition | 350 marks (35%) |
| D3 — Academic Contribution and Leadership | Academic governance, curriculum innovation, institutional quality and leadership | 100 marks (10%) |
| D4 — Professionalism and Social Responsibility | Professional ethics, inclusivity, societal contribution, sustainability and student wellbeing | 100 marks (10%) |
| D5 — Digital Competency and Future Readiness | Digital transformation, AI integration and future-oriented academic practice | 100 marks (10%) |
Depending on the selected category, D1 and D2 shift emphasis relative to each other. D3, D4 and D5 remain common across all three categories.
Scoring Structure
Domains, subdomains and indicators
Each domain is divided into subdomains, and each subdomain into individually scored indicators with defined evidence requirements.
| Domain 1 subdomain | Marks |
|---|---|
| D1.1 — Teaching Effectiveness & Course Delivery | 150 |
| D1.2 — Student Performance & Learning Outcomes | 100 |
| D1.3 — Mentoring, Guidance & Student Support | 50 |
| D1.4 — Skill Development & Employability Contribution | 50 |
| Example indicator (D1.1) | Marks | Evidence expected |
|---|---|---|
| Courses handled per academic year | 10 | Timetable / workload order |
| LMS-enabled course implementation | 20 | LMS screenshots / analytics |
| Outcome-Based Education (OBE) implementation | 20 | Course file / CO-PO mapping |
| ICT-enabled and smart teaching practices | 20 | Digital content / class evidence |
| Andragogy-based facilitation in the learning process | 50 | Evidence report |
| Innovative teaching practices adopted | 30 | Supporting evidence upload |
The same domain → subdomain → indicator structure is used across all five domains, with evidence such as reports, screenshots, certificates and institutional records.
Assessment & Scoring
A structured, multi-layered review
No single person or system makes the final certification decision alone.
- Applicant submission. The applicant provides evidence for each indicator. The system computes an initial indicative score using defined rule-based logic.
- Assessor review. A qualified human Assessor independently reviews evidence against the published rubric and records scores with observations.
- AI-assisted advisory support. AI may support evidence classification, similarity and plagiarism checks, and preliminary scoring. Its output is advisory; AI does not make the final certification decision.
- Lead Assessor consolidation. A senior reviewer distinct from the assigned Assessor consolidates the Assessor’s and AI’s findings and resolves discrepancies.
- Committee decision. The independent Certification Committee reviews the consolidated evidence package, scores, verification reports and conflict-of-interest declarations and decides whether to grant certification. Assessors do not participate in this decision.
- Result and certificate. If successful, the applicant receives a certificate with a unique DRONĀ ID, verifiable QR code and certification level.
Conflict-of-interest safeguards apply throughout the process. Anyone with a personal, professional or institutional connection to an applicant must disclose it and step back from decisions concerning that application.
Certification Levels
Progressive certification pathway
The total of verified marks across all five domains, out of 1,000, determines the certification level. No separate minimum score is required in an individual domain.
| Level | Title | Score range |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Associate Faculty | 200–350 |
| Level 2 | Accredited Faculty | 351–500 |
| Level 3 | Senior Accredited Faculty | 501–650 |
| Level 4 | Distinguished Faculty | 651–800 |
| Level 5 | Master Faculty | 801–1000 |
After Certification
Maintain and develop your certification
Continuing Professional Development
Continue professional development through faculty development programmes, research and scholarly work, industry engagement and digital skill-building, and demonstrate this at surveillance checks.
Recertification
Before expiry, complete the recertification cycle to confirm continued competence and renew certification for the next period.
Progression
You may apply to progress to a higher level or change category after holding your current certification for at least one year and meeting the requirements for the level sought.