Page 40 - EW April 2023

Cover Story

high scores under the parameters of
competence of faculty & curriculum
and pedagogy (including digital readi-
ness). In addition, readiness to under-
stand the systematic changes happen-
ing in the collegiate education system
across the nation and addressing the
social sector/industry requirements
while working to fulfil them are major
factors behind the rising reputation
of the KJ Somaiya College of Arts &
Commerce,” says Prof. Pillai, former
chairman of NAAC, Vice Chairman of
UGC and Vice Chancellor of the Ma-
hatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
(Kerala), who has brought 40 years of
admin and teaching experience into
the Somaiya Vidyavihar University
of which KJS College is a constituent
school.
The college was given autonomous Somaiya Vidyavihar’s Rajasekharan Pillai (centre right): steady progress satisfaction
status by UGC in 2013, and for the
past 10 years, autonomy has been programmes, is positioned to emerge gains. Among the most notable are
very effectively utilised for bringing as a model for the rest of the country Kristu Jayanti College, Benga-
innovations in collegiate education to successfully implement NEP 2020,” luru promoted from #23 in 2022-23
at all levels. “Our Somaiya Vidyavi- says Pillai. to #11 this year; Women’s Chris-
har University campus — the largest Further down the EWIHER 2023- tian College, Chennai to #12 (15
private academic campus in Mumbai 24 league table of the 228-strong last year); Sophia College, Breach
— which offers students easy access league able of the country’s most ad- Candy, Mumbai to #14 (32); St. Jo-
to our schools of humanities, science mired autonomous colleges, several seph’s College, Kozhikode to #16
and technology and several vocational institutions have recorded significant (19) and the S.S Jain Subodh PG
College, Jaipur to #16 (24).
Women’s Christian College students: notable promotion
Moreover, it’s advisable for school-
leavers/parents to bear in mind that
autonomous colleges — which are al-
ready meritorious inasmuch as they
have been conferred autonomy by
UGC — which are modestly ranked
nationally may well be heavyweights
in their home states and host cities.
For instance, Jagannath Ba-
rooah College, Jorhat ranked #85
nationally is Assam’s #1 autonomous
ASC college. Likewise, Ewing Chris-
tian College, Prayagraj ranked
#31 nationally is #1 in Uttar Pradesh
(pop. 215 million) and Khalsa Col-
lege, Amritsar ranked India #42 is
#1 in Punjab (pop. 40 million). Such
anomalies abound.
Therefore school-leavers, espe-
cially those who prefer not to relocate
beyond state boundaries in these frac-
tious times should study state and city
rankings carefully.

40 EDUCATIONWORLD APRIL 2023