Page 84 - EW 1-156 May 2024

Cover Story EW India Government University Rankings 2024-25

ties in the credible EW league table.
When BCU was separated from the
parent Bangalore University five
years ago, we had 400 students.
Now we have 4,000 enrolled in a
wide range of undergrad, postgrad
and doctorial programmes on our
campus. Many study programmes
in emerging disciplines such as data
science, machine learning, environ-
mental science, urban studies have
been recently introduced and have
boosted our enrolment. Moreover,
BCU has signed seven collaboration
agreements with top international
universities including Birmingham
City and Wolverhampton, UK. We
have also redeveloped and upgraded
BCU's Dr. Lingaraja Gandhi (right): trifurcation stimulus our heritage Central College campus
at a cost of Rs.168 crore with state-
of JU, ending Sau’s term in office. Jammu to #31 (#37). of-the-art academic blocks, labs and
(This interview with Sau was com- Dr. Lingaraja Gandhi, Vice sports facilities. It’s very reassur-
pleted on April 20). Chancellor of Bangalore City ing that your survey respondents
Pervasive political interference University (BCU, estb.2017 after have acknowledged and appreciated
in higher education is a prime cause trifurcation of Bangalore University), BCU’s transformation by giving us a
of Indian universities’ low standing which boasts 240 affiliated institu- promotion in the EW league table,”
in global league tables. However tions including the garden city’s says Dr. Gandhi, an alum of Mysore
inevitably, several universities have top-ranked Mount Carmel and St. University with 39 years of teaching,
risen in the league table of India’s Joseph’s undergrad colleges, is de- research and administrative experi-
multidisciplinary varsities. Among lighted with BCU’s steady rise in the ence including stints as registrar of
them: Jamia Millia Islamia EW league table from #21 in 2022-23 Karnataka State Open University
University, Delhi to #13 (#16), to #19 in 2023-24 and #17 this year. and Mysore University prior to
Bangalore City University to “We are heartened that BCU appointment as Vice Chancellor
#17 (#19), Kurukshetra University is consistently ranked among the of BCU in 2021. Sited on a 33-acre
to #23 (#28) and University of country’s Top 20 public universi- heritage campus in the heart of Ban-
galore city, BCU has 4,000 students
Utkal University vista: Odisha #1
and 179 faculty on its muster rolls.
Moreover, its 240 affiliated colleges
have an aggregate enrolment of
140,000 students.
It’s noteworthy that some uni-
versities ranked modestly in the
national league table are top ranked
in their host states. For instance,
Utkal University, Bhubaneswar
ranked #35 nationally, is #1 in
Odisha (pop.47 million). Similarly,
Central University of Rajast-
han, Ajmer ranked India #40, is
#1 in Rajasthan (83 million) and the
Indira Gandhi National Tribal
University, Amarkantak ranked
#51 nationally is the #1 government
university of Madhya Pradesh (72
million).

84 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2024