Page 63 - EW June 2021 Low Res

founder-CEO of C fore, explaining the
institutional rankings methodology.
Unsurprisingly, the Indian Insti-
tute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc)
is again ranked India’s #1 government
university with top scores under a re-
cord eight of the ten parameters of
higher education excellence includ-
ing research and innovation, given
highest weightage (300). Promoted in
1909 through a generous land grant
from pioneer industrialist J.N. Tata
who founded the Mumbai-based Tata
business empire, IISc currently has an
enrolment of 4,750 students, includ-
ing 2,594 doctoral scholars, men-
tored by 530 highly qualified faculty.
Widely acknowledged as the country’s
premier science and technology post-
grad institution, IISc is hugely depen-
dent on an annual grant awarded in Mumbai University’s Pednekar (centre right): billionaires incubator
the Union budget (Rs.621.65 crore in
2021-22) and regrettably lacks public promotions by this year’s sample ranked in the QS World Graduate
accountability. respondents. The Delhi state gov- Employability Rankings and are the
umerous requests for a cel- ernment-promoted Indraprastha only Indian university ranked among
ebratory interview were de- Institute of Information Tech- the ‘Top 10 Global Universities shap-
Nnied by director Dr. Gov- nology (IIIT) has leapfrogged to ing most billionaires’ by Forbes maga-
indan Rangarajan, on the ground #6 (#27 in 2020-21), National Law zine for nurturing 20 billionaires. In
that the EW rankings survey is “not School of India University (NL- a quiet manner, we have been digitis-
authorised” by government. Last year, SIU), Bengaluru promoted to #7 ing our teaching and evaluation and
Rangarajan, then chair of the division (11), jointly with Delhi Technologi- early this year successfully conducted
of interdisciplinary research at IISc, cal University (19), the Jawahar- online examinations for final year de-
had deigned to send a terse email to lal Nehru Centre for Advanced gree students and declared results on
EW: “Though we are honoured to Scientific Research, Bengaluru time. Currently, we are adding to the
have been ranked #1 in your rankings, to #8 (15) and NIMHANS, Ben- diversity of our study programmes —
as a matter of policy, we officially par- galuru to #9 (11). The promotion of your respondents have given us a high
ticipate only in government of India these institutions to the Top 10 table score under this parameter — with the
rankings or those designated by GoI.” has resulted in Jadavpur Univer- launch of our Dr. Babasaheb Ambed-
Evidently ignorant about this publicly sity, Kolkata, ranked #9 (7) and kar International Research Centre
funded institution’s accountability to Panjab University, ranked #10 (6) which will introduce new social justice
the public, he obviously equates gov- ceding rank with the University of and humanities courses,” says Dr.
ernment with the public. Mumbai (UoM) retaining its 2020- Suhas Pednekar, vice chancellor of
Be that as it may, the seating ar- 21 #10 ranking. UoM, himself an alum with postgrad
rangement at the top table in 2021- One of the country’s three oldest qualifications from Stevens Institute
22 is substantially unchanged. The universities established in 1857, UoM of Technology, New Jersey, USA. Pri-
Centrally-funded Tata Institute of has been awarded high scores under or to his appointment as VC of UoM
Fundamental Research (TIFR), the parameters of range and diver- in 2018, Pednekar served as principal
Mumbai, is ranked #2, Jawaharlal sity of programmes, placements and of Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai
Nehru University (JNU), Delhi internationalism. “We are delighted for 13 years (2005-2018).
#3; University of Delhi #4 and that UoM has again been ranked Further down the league table of
Anna University, Chennai #5. among India’s Top 10 universities. India’s best public universities, NAL-
However beyond the Top 5, there’s UoM has always been a frontrun- SAR University of Law, Hyder-
been a substantial realignment of ner in providing affordable industry abad, has risen greatly in public esti-
seats with several hitherto modestly- aligned and market-driven higher ed- mation and is promoted to #11 (#28 in
ranked universities given handsome ucation and research. We are highly 2020-21). The Indian Institute of

JUNE 2021 EDUCATIONWORLD 63