Academic and Administrative Audit (AAA) in Indian Higher Education: A Multi-Stakeholder Assessment of Quality Assurance, Institutional Impact, and Implementation Challenges in Pune HEIs

This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the Academic and Administrative Audit (AAA) system conducted in 40 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) located in Pune, India, drawing upon primary data collected from 1104 stakeholders, including teaching staff, students, and administrative personnel. The research establishes that while HEIs in the region demonstrate structural maturity through high rates of compliance and strong academic quality assurance processes, this efficacy is simultaneously undermined by pervasive organizational friction. Key findings indicate a strong endorsement of AAA for its ability to enhance strategic planning and core academic delivery, achieving high reported implementation rates. However, this procedural success exists in tension with critical failures in non-academic support services (e.g., washroom maintenance, canteen hygiene), which receive significant stakeholder dissatisfaction. The study identifies staff resistance , lack of funds , and structural bureaucracy as the primary systemic barriers to achieving a robust, sustainable quality culture. The paper concludes by arguing that for AAA to transition from a mandatory compliance mechanism to a genuine driver of institutional transformation, policy revisions must mandate targeted investment in infrastructure and staff welfare, coupled with a deliberate shift toward decentralized, participatory administrative governance.