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students enrolled in mainly profes-
sional degree programmes — engi-
neering, financial accounting — in
2010.
“Moreover in keeping with the
NEP 2020 mandate, CU is rapidly
transforming into a multidisciplinary
university. Since 2019, when the
Kasturirangan Committee Report
was published, we have already
introduced political and social sci-
ences, philosophy and psychology
degree programmes in our School of
Liberal Arts,” says Chitkara.
Nor is Dr. Chitkara apprehen-
sive about the entry of foreign
universities into the higher educa-
tion marketplace. “The entry of
foreign universities into India is
a positive development as it will GITAM University, Vizag campus: steady ascent. Inset: Prof. Jaishankar E. Variya
stimulate healthy competition. We
are confident about our ability to multidisciplinary universities from management, architecture and public
compete and maintain our ranking #19 in 2021-22 to #14 last year and policy. I’m sure these initiatives will
among the Top 10 because we are #11 this year has enthused the man- enable us to continuously move up in
constantly improving and updating agement of the Gandhi Institute the EW rankings,” says Jaishankar
our infrastructure and faculty while of Technology and Management E. Variya, an alumnus of IIT-
developing a robust ecosystem for (GITAM) deemed university as Madras and Duke University (USA),
research and innovation. We already well. “Since 2020, we have recruited who acquired valuable teaching and
have several partnerships in place several outstanding young faculty admin experience at IIT-Kharagpur
with foreign universities for student with the mandate to create a cutting- and VIT-Vellore prior to his ap-
and faculty exchange programmes, edge research culture within the pointment as pro vice chancellor
and team research initiatives. We university. This will ensure that we at GITAM in 2020. Currently, this
are optimistic about competition and keep moving up the EW and other fast-forward university has 26,000
cooperation in higher education and rankings. Moreover, in anticipation students mentored by 1,690 faculty
are well-equipped to negotiate this of NEP 2020 for all higher educa- on its muster rolls.
changing landscape,” she adds. tion institutions to transform into It’s pertinent to note that private
Beyond the Top 10, several private multidisciplinary universities, we multidisciplinary varsities modestly
multidisciplinary universities have have introduced degree programmes ranked nationally may well be heavy-
risen in the esteem of the informed in the humanities, law, business weights in their host states, many of
public. Among them, GI- whom are more populous
TAM Deemed University, Shoolini University students than some European
Visakhapatnam to #11 countries. For instance,
(14), Shoolini University, KIIT Deemed Uni-
Bajhol (Himachal Pradesh) versity is #1 in Odisha
to #13 (14) and KIIT Uni- (pop.40 million) and
versity, Bhubaneswar Jagran Lakecity Uni-
#14 (40). Moreover, several versity, Bhopal ranked
other universities have been #30 nationally is #1 in
awarded sharp promotions Madhya Pradesh (pop.85
in the 103-strong league ta- million). Therefore, to be
ble of India’s most admired listed in the EW league
private multidisciplinary table of India’s 103
universities. private multidisciplinary
The steady ascent up the universities is per se an
EW league table of private achievement.

MAY 2023 EDUCATIONWORLD 49