Page 59 - EW May 2020 for Flipbuilder

a massive 820 affiliated colleges
(with 800,000 students), Anna 552
(721,276), Calcutta 168 (360,000)
and Bangalore 255 colleges (55,900).
This affiliation system — unique to the
subcontinent — is a hangover of the
British Raj when undergrad colleges
required monitoring and supervision
by academically and administratively
superior universities. In the UK al-
though Oxford, Cambridge and Lon-
don universities have several affiliated
colleges, they are the exception, and
the affiliating system, which strains
university resources and necessitates
the affiliating university to supervise,
conduct exams and award degrees
to students of affiliated colleges, has
fallen into disuse.
The Kasturirangan Committee’s Swarnim University’s Dr. Arjunsinh Rana: Olympic winners goal
Draft N ational Education Policy
( N EP) 2019 has recommended abo- #46 nationally, is the premier govern- (SGSU), is grateful that the EW sample
lition of the affiliation system. The ment university of Haryana (25 mil- respondents have acknowledged the
Draft NEP 2019 advocates the trans- lion) and the C oc h in U n iv e rs ity of good work being done by the country’s
formation of all undergraduate colleg- S c ie n c e & T e c h n ol og y ( C U S A T ) , specialised government universities. “I
es into autonomous degree awarding ranked India #54, is Kerala’s #1 gov- am very thankful that the Education-
institutions with universities morph- ernment varsity. World survey has recognised the qual-
ing into multi-disciplinary teaching A highlight of the EW India Gov- ity work done by SGSU to nurture and
and/or research institutions. The ernment University Rankings 2020- train budding sports coaches and pro-
committee has set a 2032 deadline 21 is that several specialised (cf. fessionals. Established in 2011 by then
after which “there will be no affiliat- multi-disciplinary) universities are Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi,
ing universities or affiliated colleges”. ranked within the Top 50. For in- SGSU is one of the country’s premier
N B : Abolition of the affiliation system stance, K in g G e org e ’ s M e dic a l sports-focused universities providing
has been a long-standing demand of U n iv e rs ity , L u c k n ow is ranked bachelor’s and Master’s programmes
EducationWorld. India #24; I n dia n A g ric u l tu ra l in physical education, sports journal-
The large number of vice chancel- R e s e a rc h I n s titu te , D e l h i is #32 ism and sports management. SGSU
lors and faculty who grumble about jointly with the S c h ool of P l a n n in g plays a major role in organising the
their national rankings would do well & A rc h ite c tu re ( D e e m e d U n iv e r- annual Khel Mahakumbh — India’s
to study the EW state rankings league s ity ) , D e l h i, the S w a rn im G u j a ra t biggest sports fest — and competitions
tables. It’s noteworthy that universi- S p orts U n iv e rs ity , G a n dh in a g a r of several state/national sports federa-
ties modestly ranked nationally in #39 and N a tion a l B ra in R e s e a rc h tions. The Top 40 national and #4 Gu-
the 159-strong EW India Govern- C e n tre ( N B R C ) D e e m e d U n iv e r- jarat ranking of SGSU has boosted the
ment University Rankings 2020-21, s ity , M a n e s a r (Gurgaon) #48. morale of our students and faculty and
are highly ranked in their host states, D r. A rj u n s in h C . R a n a , vice strengthened our resolve to produce
some of which it is pertinent to note, chancellor of S w a rn im G u j a ra t sports professionals with enhanced
are as populous as European coun- S p orts U n iv e rs ity , G a n dh in a g a r knowledge and skills to develop and
tries. shape Olympic winners,” says Rana,
For instance, S ri V e n k a te s w a ra an alumnus of Saurashtra University
U n iv e rs ity , T iru p a ti, ranked India It’s noteworthy that a large and Sports Authority of India, Delhi
#23 is #1 in Andhra Pradesh (pop. number of universities with wide experience of working with
49 million). Similarly, M S U n iv e r- modestly ranked nationally the Saurashtra Cricket Association
s ity , B a roda , ranked India #33 is and BCCI.
#1 in Gujarat (65 million). Likewise, are highly ranked in their
the low-profile N a tion a l D a iry R e - host states With Baishali Mukherjee (Kolkata) &
s e a rc h I n s titu te , K a rn a l ranked Shivani Chaturvedi (Chennai)

MAY 2020 EDUCATIONWORLD 59