Page 60 - EducationWorld May 2021

Cover Story EW India Non-Autonomous Colleges Rankings 2021-22

while he welcomes the NEP 2020 res-
olution to liberally award autonomous
status to NAAC ‘A’ grade colleges, Var-
ghese is somewhat sceptical whether it
will be “implemented in a hurry”.
However there is some evidence
that institutional autonomy is not
highly prized in all colleges affiliated
with Delhi University (DU). With
DU being by far the largest recipient
of UGC’s annual budget (Rs.4,693
crore in 2021-22) most of its colleges
are quite content with the status quo
under which they receive handsome
subsidies and grants from the parent
university. This enables them to pay
high Seventh Pay Commission salaries
to their faculty while levying rock-bot-
tom tuition fees to their mainly middle
class students. Miranda House’s Bijayalaxmi Nanda (centre): status quo satisfaction
“Our non-autonomous status is
not a great handicap because as a the full implications of autonomous pleased that our college has been
constituent college of DU we have status to be able to derive its full ben- awarded the highest score nationally
considerable freedom to implement efits,” says Nanda, a political science under the parameter of faculty compe-
the university’s common syllabus in postgrad of Utkal, Delhi and Jawahar- tence. This is because 70 percent of our
framing and enhancing our curricu- lal Nehru universities who signed up in faculty has Ph D qualifications and the
lum. Autonomous status brings with 1993 as associate professor of political other 30 percent are researching their
it pressure to exercise financial auton- science and was appointed acting (pro doctoral theses. We owe our overdue
omy and to raise tuition and other fees tem) principal of this premier college promotion this year to rising public
for capacity building and expansion. three years ago. awareness of the college’s excellent
Our existing students’ profile doesn’t Likewise, Dr. Minu Madlani, industry connect and international
permit this. Moreover autonomous principal of the K.P.B. Hinduja Col- academic collaborations because of the
status necessitates investment in in- lege of Commerce, Mumbai (KPB- unreserved encouragement and sup-
stitutional and business management HCC, estb.1974), which has risen high port we receive from the transnational
capabilities which would diffuse our in the esteem of sample respondents Hinduja Group of companies. We have
focus on academics. Therefore we of EWIHER 2021-22, and is ranked been able to leverage this connection
have not applied for autonomous sta- #6 nationally and #1 in Maharashtra to get the best internships and place-
tus for our college as yet. This issue and Mumbai, is not in a hurry to be ments for our students,” says Madlani,
needs proper planning and debate awarded autonomous status either. an alumna of Mumbai University who
and building a consensus first,” says “I am delighted that your knowl- acquired valuable teaching and admin
Dr. Bijayalaxmi Nanda, pro tem edgeable sample respondents have experience in Jai Hind College (1988-
principal of Miranda House, Delhi ranked KPBHCC among India’s top 2005) and as principal of L.S. Raheja
(estb.1948), ranked India’s #4 non- undergrad colleges and #1 in Maha- College (2005-13) prior to her appoint-
autonomous arts, science and com- rashtra and Mumbai the financial ment as principal of KPBHCC in 2014.
merce college in EWHIER 2021-22. capital of the country. I am especially According to Madlani, the college
Nanda’s equanimity about the lim- has not yet applied to UGC for autono-
ited autonomy of the blue-chip Miran- mous status because the buildings and
da House is perhaps also influenced by ere is some evidence infrastructure of this 47-year-old col-
the #1 rank that the National Institu- that institutional autonomy lege in the heart of downtown Mum-
tional Ranking Framework (NIRF) — bai where room for expansion is very
“a facts and data based annual audit” is not highly prized in all limited, may not meet NAAC specifica-
— conducted by the Union education colleges affiliated with tions for A grade colleges. “With the
ministry, has awarded this women’s Delhi University. Most are full support of our board of governors,
college for the past four years. “It’s we have recently begun implementing
important to thoroughly understand content with status quo a major Rs.250 crore building and

60 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2021