Page 70 - EW April 2023

Cover Story
Top 100 Non-Autonomous ASC Colleges

Although the total scores of
several non-autonomous
Arts, Science and
Commerce colleges exceed
those of colleges granted
autonomy, for mysterious
reasons they have not been
awarded autonomous
status

o one can blame readers
for experiencing a sense of
deja vu when they peruse
Nthis year’s league table of
India’s Top 100 private and/or aided
non-autonomous ASC colleges.
Headed by St. Stephen’s College,
Delhi which has been top-ranked for St. Stephen’s, Delhi principal John Varghese (centre & inset): system stability musings
the past five years, the Top 10 list is
almost a replica of the 2022-23 ta- high cut-offs — of colleges affiliated the conferment of academic and ad-
ble with the Shri Ram College of with DU. ministrative autonomy upon provenly
Commerce, Lady Shri Ram Col- Despite the countrywide popularity excellent undergrad colleges and their
lege for Women, Hindu College, of DU colleges and their proven excel- transformation into autonomous uni-
Miranda House, Hansraj College lence — their total scores comfortably versities — albeit somewhat paradoxi-
— all affiliated with Delhi University exceed the scores of the 894 undergrad cally subject to monitoring of several
(DU) — ranked in that order under St. colleges awarded autonomous status supervisory and regulatory authorities
Stephen’s. (see p.44) — they haven’t been granted (see edit p.8) — it’s a conjecture when
Quite obviously, the general public autonomy. Delhi’s powerful neta-babu St. Stephen’s and several other non-
and parents, academic and students (politicians-bureaucrats) brotherhood autonomous colleges of Delhi Univer-
communities who constitute the SEC is reluctant to surrender the powers sity (Shri Ram College of Commerce,
(socio-economic category ‘A’) sample of patronage which come with their Miranda House among others) will
respondents base for the annual EW control over Delhi University. An in- enjoy real autonomy.
India Higher Education Rankings dicator of how great and valuable this Meanwhile Prof. John Var-
(EWIHER), are well-aware that col- power is that in the league table of ghese, an alum of Loyola College,
leges affiliated with Delhi University Non-autonomous Colleges, nine are Chennai and Madras Christian Col-
are relatively well-funded and offer based in Delhi and affiliated with DU. lege and principal of St. Stephen’s,
the best Arts, Science and Commerce Thus the application of St. Ste- is delighted with the college being
(ASC) education. And that too at rock- phen’s College for autonomy made top-ranked for the fifth year in suc-
bottom prices. four years ago is still pending. Ditto cession. “We recently completed our
Tuition and residential accommo- an application for establishment of a second cycle of the NAAC accredita-
dation prices of this Central govern- St. Xavier’s University affiliating all St. tion process and cleared it with top
ment university haven’t changed for Xavier’s Colleges countrywide (which honours — A++. The faculty, students
decades and it’s a fair bet that the lion’s caused considerable excitement in and non-teaching staff are the reasons
share of the government’s budgeted EducationWorld and provoked a cov- why we’re at the top!” says Varghese.
outlay of Rs.44,094 crore for higher er story in March 2009 has vanished Looking ahead, Varghese says the
education in 2023-24 is allocated to from the radar screen of the Union education scenario in India is “very
Delhi University. This also explains the ministry of education. Now with NEP fluid” right now with foreign universi-
mad annual rush for admission — and 2020 having unequivocally mandated ties being given the green light to es-

70 EDUCATIONWORLD APRIL 2023