Page 40 - EW May 2025

Cover Story

pedagogy should have been better.
We are one of the premier new age
colleges offering high-quality faculty
with proven domain expertise, best
teaching resources, and innovative
experiential pedagogies. After being
granted autonomy in 2021, we have
modernised our study programmes
and pedagogies to be in sync with
industry and job market demands.
We are committed to continuous im-
provement and have set a target of
transforming into a Deemed-to-be-
University, in alignment to Section
3 of the UGC Act, over the next few
years,” says Ahmed, also Chief Operat-
ing Officer of the Presidency Group of
Institutions comprising eight schools,
four colleges and a university with an
Presidency, Bengaluru students. Inset: Suhael Ahmed aggregate 38,000 students.
It’s pertinent to note that although
signed international collaboration jointly ranked with Stella Maris Col- ranked modestly nationally, all au-
agreements with foreign universities lege, Chennai (#10). tonomous colleges in the latest EW
including University of Fraser Valley, Suhael Ahmed, Vice-Chairman of league table are national assets and
Canada and Rider University, USA. Presidency College, Bengaluru, is highly ranked in their states, most
This year we are set to launch nine “elated” by the college’s debut in the of which are larger and more popu-
study programmes in new-age disci- national Top 10 with high scores for lous than European countries. For
plines. Thanks to our autonomous sta- faculty competence, curriculum and instance, Sunbeam College for
tus, NKC has the flexibility to innovate pedagogy and placement. “Though Women, Bhagwanpur, Varanasi
and respond quickly to changing in- it’s encouraging to be ranked within ranked #25 nationally is the #1 private
dustry trends,” says Datta. Currently, the national Top 10 from among 1,200 autonomous college of Uttar Pradesh
NKC has 6,835 students and 120 fac- private autonomous colleges coun- (pop.215 million), Khalsa College,
ulty on its muster rolls. trywide, I am happy without being Amritsar #43 in India is Punjab #1
Unsurprisingly, eight of India’s thrilled. Happy because it’s motivat- and Sadhu Vaswani Autonomous
most admired private autonomous ing to go up the ladder. Our scores for College, Bairagarh, Bhopal #69 in
colleges are sited in Mumbai, the faculty competence, curriculum and India is Madhya Pradesh #1.
country’s commercial capital. NKC is Sunbeam College co-founders Deepak (centre) & Bharti Madhok (centre left)
followed by the RA Podar College of
Commerce & Economics, Mum-
bai, ranked #6 (#5) jointly with the
BK Birla College of Arts, Science
& Commerce, Kalyan (Mumbai),
which has risen hugely in public es-
teem from #9 last year. Loyola Col-
lege, Chennai is also ranked #6
(#4). The KJ Somaiya College of
Arts and Commerce, Mumbai has
lost ground and is ranked #7 (#5) as
has St. Francis College for Wom-
en, Hyderabad, jointly ranked #8
(#6) with Madras Christian Col-
lege, Chennai (#7). KPB Hinduja
College of Commerce, Mumbai
is #9 (#8) and Presidency College,
Bengaluru is promoted to #10 (#11)

40 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2025