PO-CO Evaluation & Continual Improvementstrategiesfor OBESuccess By Yogesh Pawar
Empowering Indian HEIs: POCOE Driven Continual Improvement for OBE SuccessIntroduction Outcome-Based Education (OBE) is a transformative philosophy that redefines education by focusing on what students can achieve rather than what is taught. In Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), such as those offering a 4-year B. Sc in IT or 4-year B.Tech in Computer Science, the PO-CO Evaluation Report (POCOER) is a cornerstone of OBE. It enables institutions to measure, analyze, and enhance the attainment of Course Outcomes (COs), Program Outcomes (POs), Program Specific Outcomes (PSOs), and their alignment with Program Educational Objectives (PEOs). Far from being a final step, PO-CO evaluation is the beginning of a continuous improvement journey, as emphasized by quality management pioneer Joseph Juran: “What gets measured gets managed, and what gets managed can be improved.” By integrating data from assessments, student feedback, and stakeholder inputs, the POCOER drives evidence-based improvements, ensuring compliance with the National Board of Accreditation (NBA, General Manual 2023), the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC, Revised Framework 2020, updated 2025), and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This article outlines a systematic approach to leveraging the POCOER, offering practical strategies to adopt OBE as a philosophy and enhance program quality