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the integrated ASC league table is
ranked #14 this year and Sai Inter-
national College, Bhubaneswar
has debuted in the Top 20 (#18).
Even further down the Top 100 suffi-
ciently well-known non-autonomous
colleges (institutions rated by less
than 25 sample respondents are not
included in the league table), a host
of previously unranked colleges have
debuted in the Top 100 in this new
category.
“I am delighted to learn that we
are ranked #15 among India’s Top
100 non-autonomous colleges, and
particularly that Lady Brabourne
College, Kolkata (LBC, estb.1939)
is #1 in West Bengal. Although LBC
doesn’t have a high public profile,
we are a well-established, 80-year- Lady Brabourne College students: status quo preference Inset: Dr. Siuli Sarkar
old all women’s college attracting
students from across India and from grad women students, including 259 Social Sciences, Osmania Uni-
our neighbouring countries, espe- boarders mentored by 95 full-time versity, Hyderabad ranked #7 and
cially Bangladesh. Within eastern and 25 visiting faculty. #9 nationally are #1 in Maharashtra
India’s academy and intelligentsia, Although the EW 2020-21 league (pop.112 million) — India’s most
even if not among the lay public, LBC table of Top 100 non-autonomous industrialised state — and Telangana
has a very good reputation for our colleges includes institutions sited in (pop.35 million). Similarly, Lady
excellent research-oriented faculty almost all the 29 states of the Indian Brabourne College, Kolkata
and well-disciplined, academically Union, very few undergrad colleges (India #14) is the #1 non-autono-
focused women students. in the BIMARU (Bihar, Madhya mous college of West Bengal (pop.91
“A major blessing is that although Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar million) and Presidency College,
LBC is a state government non-au- Pradesh) states are included in the Bangalore (India #19) is #1 in Kar-
tonomous college, in reality we have league table. Not even one college nataka (pop. 63 million).
wide autonomy and very little, if any in Bihar (pop.104 million) and UP Likewise almost all institutions
interference from the state govern- (215 million) is in the Top 100 league included in the EW Top 100 league
ment which also provides a generous table, and only four from MP and six table of non-autonomous colleges are
annual grant. Therefore, although in Rajasthan are ranked. highly ranked in their host states and
we are qualified for autonomy, we However, it’s important to note are prime candidates for autono-
have not applied to UGC for autono- that nationally low-ranked colleges mous status. In this connection it’s
mous status because we believe that are often top-ranked in their host important to note that the draft Na-
autonomy will completely change the states. And most of India’s states are tional Education Policy, 2019 of the
character of this institution and push as large and populous as European Dr. K. Kasturirangan Committee has
us into commercialising LBC which countries. Therefore, NMCCE and advised dissolution of the unwieldy
has well-established academic tradi- University College of Arts and university-colleges affiliation system,
tions and a diverse students body. and has strongly recommended that
Therefore, management and faculty small narrow-focus private colleges
prefer the status quo,” says Dr. Almost all institutions should merge to form large multi-
Siuli Sarkar, a graduate of LBC disciplinary universities. Apart from
with Masters and Ph D qualifications included in the EW Top 100 enabling school-leavers to choose the
from Presidency and Calcutta uni- non-autonomous colleges most aptitudinally suitable colleges,
versities who signed up with LBC as the EW league table of India’s Top
a lecturer in 1987 and was appointed league table are highly 100 non-autonomous colleges on the
principal in 2011. Sited on a six acre ranked in their host states verge of autonomy, offer their man-
green campus in south Kolkata, LBC and ready for autonomy agements the best choice for mergers
has 2,000 undergraduate and post- and alliances.

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