Page 63 - EW April 2023

Therefore since 2020, when the
broad category of Arts, Science and
Commerce (ASC) colleges was di-
vided, private autonomous, govern-
ment autonomous (as classified by
UGC) and non-autonomous colleges
are ranked separately inter se in the
annual EWIHER.
To compile the 2023-24 EW league
tables of India’s best private and gov-
ernment autonomous (as well as Top
100 non-autonomous) colleges, field
representatives of the well-known
Delhi-based Centre for Forecasting
& Research Pvt. Ltd (C fore) inter-
viewed 4,088 sample respondents
comprising 1,747 college/university
faculty and 2,341 final year college
students, and persuaded them to rate Presidency, Chennai’s Dr. Raman (right): “extra colour to already shining crown”
sufficiently well-known colleges on
five parameters of tertiary education to education. Moreover, it is one of few colleges to
excellence, viz, competence of faculty, However, several emails and phone raise CSR funding to build 100 toilets
faculty welfare and development, cur- calls to Dr. V. Joy, principal of Maha- on campus which were inaugurated
riculum and pedagogy (digital readi- raja’s College, Ernakulam (estb.1875), three months ago. I believe all these
ness), industry placement record, for his reaction to the 148-year-old pioneer initiatives are behind our
infrastructure and quality of leader- college being adjudged India’s #1 promotion in the comprehensive EW
ship/ governance. Low-profile insti- government autonomous institution rankings,” says Dr. Padmavathi, an
tutions rated by less than 25 respon- remained unanswered. alumna of Osmania University who
dents are not ranked. In sharp contrast, Dr. K. Padma- has served as head of several govern-
In this year’s league table of the vathi, principal of Government De- ment colleges in the state since 1995,
country’s top-ranked government gree College for Women, Begumpet, and was appointed principal of GDCW
autonomous colleges, there’s been a Hyderabad (GDCW) was more forth- in 2021. Currently, GDCW has 3,800
major rejig. Maharaja’s College, coming and enthused with the news women students mentored by 89 fac-
Ernakulam, ranked #2 for the past that GDCW has leapfrogged to India ulty on its muster rolls.
two years (2021-22 and 2022-23) #2 in this year’s rankings. Likewise the promotion of Presi-
and #1 in 2020-21, has reclaimed its “We are honoured to learn about dency College, Chennai (PCC) to
position as India’s #1 government our promotion to India #2. It will in- India’s Top 3 has enthused principal
autonomous college. Government spire and motivate our students and Dr. R. Raman. One of two Presiden-
Degree College for Women, Be- faculty to aim for top rank next year. I cy Colleges established by the British
gumpet, Hyderabad has been cata- am also pleased to learn that our high- way back in 1840 (the other is Presi-
pulted to #2 (#5 in 2022-23) followed est scores are under the parameters of dency College, Kolkata, now a state
by Presidency College, Chennai, curriculum and pedagogy and faculty university), PCC has been awarded
which is promoted to #3 (#4). Ranked competence. The USP of our 65 study top scores on the parameters of fac-
#1 for two years consecutively (2021- programmes is that all of them com- ulty competence, infrastructure, and
22 and 2022-23), Government prise at least one skills/employment leadership/governance quality.
Science College, Nrupathunga linked course to boost student em- “Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s the
Road, Bengaluru has slipped to #4 ployability. Our faculty is also highly same with Presidency College. I am
this year. The Top 5 is completed by qualified — 50 of our 89 teachers have the 52nd principal of this prestigious
Yuvaraja’s College, Mysuru which Ph Ds and have published over 300 institution which was started in 1840.
has also lost rank (#3). papers in peer-reviewed journals. The college has produced two Nobel
It’s pertinent to note that the Top 5 Yet, an initiative which distinguishes laureates for physics — C.V. Raman
government autonomous colleges are us from all colleges is that since the and Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
sited in peninsular India, the coun- last six months, GDCW is providing — three Bharat Ratnas, five chief min-
try’s more educationally advanced a free mid-day meal in collaboration isters including the incumbent M.K.
half whose citizenry accord high value with Akshaya Patra to 400 students. Stalin and many more high achievers

APRIL 2023 EDUCATIONWORLD 63