Page 71 - EW April 2023

tablish campuses in this country which
has “scared the big boys of higher
education”. “The education ministry
has taken some bold initiatives, but
it’s very important for government to
ensure some stability in the education
system. The higher secondary school
education system has been called into
question with the introduction of the
CUET (Common University Entrance
Test). Teachers are already telling
me that students have started show-
ing decreasing interest in coming
to school, and that lack of interest is
obvious in the quality of their answer
scripts. Was the sudden introduction
of CUET a wise move? Or should we
have brought it in a phased manner?
Have we exchanged our magic lamp
which created stalwarts who now head K.P. Hinduja College, Mumbai’s Minu Madlani (right): #1 in Mumbai & Maharashtra
institutions, including global ones, for
a shiny new, but ineffectual lamp? If this college was established, there’s formed sample respondents. For in-
we want to be the global Viswaguru, continuously spreading evidence that stance, the Maitreyi College, Del-
we should take some affirmative steps KPHCC is not merely a degrees award- hi ranked #25 in 2022-23 has been
now. Should we rethink the process? ing institution, it also grooms students promoted to #12 this year. Ditto Ra-
It’s still not too late,” muses Varghese. to confront challenges through appli- manujam College, Delhi from #34
arger issues relating to the system cation of acquired skills and knowl- to #15 and the SK Somaiya College
Lapart, Varghese believes that new edge to become innovative and effec- of Arts and Science, Mumbai from
vistas and opportunities have opened tive leaders of business and industry. #39 to #15.
up for St. Stephen’s. “NEP 2020 cer- And I am pleased to share with your Moreover, it’s pertinent to note
tainly has some very progressive readers that early this year, we have that an ASC college ranked modestly
ideas and we are very keen on taking been conferred autonomous status by in the national league table could be a
its more positive mandates forward. the UGC for the next ten years,” says heavyweight in its host state, some of
You’ll get to hear some good news Dr. Madlani. which are more populous than many
soon,” he promises. Somewhat surprisingly, the only European countries.
Although this year’s league table of other non-Delhi colleges apart from Thus the Arya Mahila PG Col-
India’s non-autonomous ASC colleges K.P. Hinduja College, Mumbai to lege, Varanasi ranked #21 nationally
is dominated by institutions based make it into the Top 10 table of pri- is the #1 ASC college in Uttar Pradesh
in Delhi, Dr. Minu Madlani, prin- vate and/or aided non-autonomous (pop.215 million) and the low-profile
cipal of the K.P. Hinduja College Arts, Science and Commerce colleges Barrackpore Rastraguru Suren-
of Commerce, Mumbai is quite countrywide is the University Col- dranath College, Kolkata ranked
satisfied with KPHCC’s #1 ranking in lege of Arts and Social Sciences of India #10 is top-ranked in West Bengal
Maharashtra (pop.115 million) and #1 Osmania University, Hyderabad and (pop.91 million). And Rajdhani Col-
rank in Mumbai, the country’s finan- Barrackpore Rastraguru Suren- lege, Baramunda, Bhubaneswar
cial and commercial capital. dranath College, Kolkata. Yet all ranked India #55 is the #1 ASC College
“I am deeply honoured that KPHCC efforts to divert the attention of Vice in Odisha (pop.47 million).
is ranked the #1 commerce college in Chancellor of Osmania University Regrettably, not a single ASC col-
Mumbai and Maharashtra for the from his deep immersion in research lege of Bihar (pop.104 million) is
third year consecutively. Credit for and scholarship to convey the good ranked among India’s Top 100 in the
this accrues entirely to all stakeholders news by way of emails and telephone 2023-24 league table. This paucity of
— visionary management, committed calls proved futile. reputable ASC undergrad colleges in
faculty members, dedicated support Beyond the Top 10 league table the populous states of Uttar Pradesh
staff, committed alumni, participative overwhelmingly headed by Delhi ASC and Bihar are a contributory cause of
parents, and our enthusiastic students. colleges, several others have made the massive admissions rush into ASC
I believe over the past 49 years since impressive gains in the esteem of in- colleges in Delhi.

APRIL 2023 EDUCATIONWORLD 71