Prof. S.C. Sharma is an educationist, researcher, administrator, technocrat, musician and a man with a missionary zeal to serve the society with devotion and sincerity. At present he is the Director of NAAC, on a mission to ensure quality and excellence in the Higher Education sector. He is also Honorary Distinguished Professor in the Centre for Energy, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, (IIT-G).
With vast teaching and administrative experience, Prof. Sharma is serving for the cause of education with human touch and is known for innovation, out of the box thinking. He is the former Vice Chancellor of Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University, Bhilai (Chhattisgarh State Government supported University) and formerly, the Vice-Chancellor of Tumkur University (Karnataka State Government supported University), Tumkur, Vice-Chairman of Karnataka State Higher Education Council, Govt., of Karnataka and former Visiting Scientist, Department of Aerospace, Indian Institute of Science (I.I.Sc.,). He is Distinguished Adviser for many academic institutions and academic bodies across the country. Dr. S.C. Sharma holds Honorary Visiting Associate-ship at Inter University Accelerator Centre, (IUAC) an autonomous centre of UGC, New Delhi. Prof. S.C. Sharma is the recipient of UGC Career Award, UGC National Fellowship and a JN Tata Scholar.
He has TEN doctoral conferment based on his research work from various Universities including Mysore University and Deakin University, Australia. He holds the Doctor of Law (LL.D) from the prestigious National Law School of India University, Bengaluru. He is conferred with Honoris Causa from NINE Government sponsored Universities. Prof. S.C. Sharma has been conferred with Honorary Fellowship by Karnataka Science and Technology Academy (KSTA)–2020, Department of Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, during 2021. During 2003-04, he was Adjunct Professor, at Leonard C. Nelson College of Engineering, Institute of Technology, West Virginia University and he was Senior Scientist in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA, for 5 years from 2004.
His distinction as an academician and administrator has brought laurels to him in the form of many positions on various Boards of the state governments, research institutions and institutions of national importance. He was a member of the State Planning Board, Government of Karnataka, former Director of Centre for Manufacturing Research and Technology Utilization (CMRTU) and Centre for Social Service and Skill Promotion (SKIP), Honorary Adviser to Sir Dorabji TATA Trust, Member of the Advisory Committee of Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi, Vice-President of the Karnataka Gana Kala Parishat and many more.
Prof. S.C. Sharma is recognized by various bodies and organisations for his contribution to the field of science and research; besides his contribution to the community through conferment of various awards. He is the recipient of the prestigious international ‘THERMEC’–2013 Distinguished Award at Las Vegas, USA, Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, Government of Karnataka, ‘National Integration Award’ from the Universal Spiritual Awareness Organisation, New Delhi, Sri Raja Ramanna Award from Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology, Government of Karnataka, besides many more honours. Apart from this he is Member, Indian Ranking Society (IRS), New Delhi, Indian National Commission for Co-operation with UNESCO (INCCU), New Delhi, and he was in the Search Panel to select Vice Chancellors for Central and State supported universities.
Prof. Sharma is also a distinguished musician. He has been recognised for his excellence and proficiency in the field of music through recognitions like: Artist of the Year by Bangalore Gayana Samaja, Bangalore, Govt. of Karnataka, prestigious ‘Karnataka Kalashree’ Award for Excellence in Music and ‘Ganakalashree Award’ for his contributions to the field of music. True to his eminence, he served in prominent bodies as, Advisor, External Research Advisory Committee of IIT–Guwahati, Assam, Member, Ethics Committee of All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru, Member, Task Force for Framing Operational Strategies and road map with financial implementation of NEP 2020 for Arunachal Pradesh, appointed by Secretary Education, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Member, Society for Professional Ethics and Management, Bangalore, Member, Medical Advisory Council, National Medical Commission, New Delhi, Life Member, Institute for Social and Economic Change, (ISEC) Bangalore and so on.
He has made good contribution to the field of research. He has successfully completed many research projects with the support of funding agencies like ISRO, DST, CABS, CSIR, ADA, DBT, GTRE, LRDE, NRB, UGC, AICTE, etc. He has over 384 research papers, 18 books and 6 patents in his credit. His publications have earned more than 10106 citations with h-index of 52 from Scopus and to his credit 135 research papers published in refereed proceedings with ISBN number. Prof. Sharma has authored two books along with Nobel Laureates.
Prof. Sharma has created many research Cells and Centres besides creating facilities in various institutions. He has set up Incubation Centres and forged alliance with many industries, academic bodies and NGOs for the betterment of the community and student stakeholders. Prof. Sharma was invited to deliver more than 100 keynote addresses at both national and international fora, and has inspired a million minds to contribute for the betterment of the nation.
His latest research work includes photoluminescence of nanophosphors, photoluminescence, thermoluminescence, photocatalytic studies of radioactive nanomaterials, sensors for phenolic compounds, hydroquinone, melamine, dopamine, paracetamol, folic acid etc., display, dosimetry and advanced forensic applications of nanomaterials.
Being a compendium of many virtues, Prof. S. C. Sharma continues, with unlimited perseverance, to catalyze the transformation of higher education in India to global benchmarks where education encompasses quality and humanity. In the recent global survey conducted by Stanford University, USA, it has depicted the name of Prof. S.C. Sharma as ‘World Top 2% Scientists from India’ and has figured in Sl. No.226 of the said list.
When there is autonomy, transparency and fairness, it culminates in Intellectual Pursuit and blossoming of Humanism. This concept came into reality at Tumkur University, which he transformed it from shambles to shrine by his sheer determination and perseverance.
Apart from this, in his social initiatives Prof. S.C. Sharma has worked for Sustainable Technology and Clean Energy for the development of green technologies, such as vermin composting of city garbage, sewage sludge for the benefit of farming community and trained them on biotechnological applications for effective abatement of pollution hazards due to toxic constituents. The organic humus developed using vermicomposting technology has provided succor to marginal farmers by unfolding indigenous job market. More than 3,000 farmers below the poverty line have reaped the benefits of these unique programmes.
Prof. S.C. Sharma has been propagating anti-alcoholism salvaging thousands of victims of the dreaded menace by conducting mass programme for functional literacy for the rural poor. He has rehabilitated 2,000 spastics, leprosy cured children, sexually abused and deserted women through his time tested, proven scientifically evolved simplex educational modules. He has infused Gandhian ideology into the hearts of gullible masses through well-planned Adult education programmes, street plays, AIDS Awareness programme to disseminate the ABC of AIDS to prevent India emerging as the epi-centre for the menacing HIV syndrome.
Prof. S.C. Sharma has represented India at the first forum of ‘Global Network of Religions for Children’ organized by Arigatou Foundation, Tokyo, Japan in May 2000 and at the second forum in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2004 and effectively delineated the Action programme for the Education of the underprivileged children of the world, which has received special attention by the United Nations for possible adoption in global Educational policy making for children. He has established Training, Research and Education Endeavour (TREE) Foundation to promote education and training on need based modules. He has undertaken projects and programmes related to Education, Environment, Society, Gender issues in Health, Hygiene and Sanitation, Growth of professionalism in women.
Considering Prof. S.C. Sharma’s contribution to the field of education, research and social development, the Department of Social Welfare, Government of Karnataka, has honoured him with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Award during 2005 and Babu Jagajivanram Award during 2007 and Aryabhatta International Award–2011, for education, research and social cause.
As the Director of NAAC, Prof. Sharma has ushered in a new era of assessment and accreditation process in the country. With the guidance of Ministry of Education, UGC and the team work of NAAC officials, he has given new impetus to quality assurance by ushering in ICT enabled assessment and accreditation process with customised Manuals and methodology for Universities and other academic institutions. Other than regular manuals for Universities, autonomous Colleges and affiliated institutions, NAAC has developed manuals for institutions viz., Health Sciences, Sanskrit, Open and Distance Learning (ODL), Dual Mode, Teacher Education, Legal Education and Yoga institutions.
NAAC has launched e-Assessor Orientation Program and online Assessor module. NAAC has provided handholding to institutions through video tutorials, SOPs and other support material through the NAAC website. NAAC has achieved in house development of Issue Management Software (IMS), provisioning of Cloud Storage for the use by NAAC to ensure privacy and efficiency in the A&A Process.
NAAC under the stewardship of Prof. S.C. Sharma, has established linkages with many national and international bodies for excellent coordination and mutual sharing and caring. He has set up the Digital Library and has initiated many Green Practices like no plastic initiative, recharging of bore wells, rendering the NAAC campus gender sensitive and Person with Disability (PWD) sensitive.
Under his guidance, NAAC has facilitated the conduct of regular AOP and Awareness programs with special emphasis on North Eastern States, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and other remote areas. He is responsible to establish the Research and Analysis Wing at NAAC, through which several state level projects, trend Analysis reports, edited volumes like Pursuit of Quality in higher education, Quality management System in higher education, Best Practice Series, Quality fact sheet and recommendations to government and aided Institutions of different states and so on. He has been instrumental in the development of the ODL Manuals with the help of a national Task Force to develop IIQA, SSR, QlM, QnM, etc. NAAC has started building bridges with stakeholders pan India and across the world through International Network. NAAC has been visited by many international organisations and its representatives for mutual cooperation and learning. NAAC has also organized Global Yoga Accreditation Summit (GYAS) in New York and many more webinars and academic programmes in connection with National Education Policy–2020.
