Page 43 - EW April 2025

that all high-potential private uni-
versities are obliged to transform
into multidisciplinary institutions as
mandated by the National Education
Policy (NEP) 2020. In the pre-reform
era as evidenced by the promotion of
IITs and IIMs by the Central govern-
ment, there was myopic tendency to
promote specialised single discipline
HEIs. Similarly, a large number of
private single discipline engineering
and medical colleges and universities
were licensed. The NEP 2020 man-
date for all universities to begin the
process of transforming into multidis-
ciplinary HEIs is welcome, because a
university is by definition (‘universe’)
an institution that offers higher edu-
cation across several disciplines and
subjects.
Therefore, it’s a welcome develop- MAHE campus: determined promoter
ment in the national interest that the
EducationWorld league table of pri- a big promotion to #4 this year (cf. #7 sciences and biotechnology research-
vate multidisciplinary universities is in 2024-25) and NMIMS Deemed ers who have returned to India under
lengthening every year. In 2024-25, University, Mumbai #5 (6). the Ramalingaswami Re-Entry Fel-
the EW league of sufficiently well- Dr. Atul Chauhan, an alumnus lowship initiative of the Government
known universities (HEIs evaluated of University College London, the of India to attract highly skilled In-
by less than 20 sample respondents London School of Economics, and dian researchers in life sciences and
are not included in EW league tables) Chancellor of AU and Chief Execu- biotechnology working abroad have
comprised 124 institutions. This year’s tive of the Amity Group (estb.1994) opted to work with us in AU. I am
league table of India’s most admired which comprises 11 universities, 26 surprised that under the parameter of
private multidisciplinary universities K-12 schools and 30 other education Internationalism, AU hasn’t got top
includes 152 institutions. institutions in India and abroad, is de- score. We have 15 campuses abroad,
That said, it’s hardly surprising lighted this new genre multi-campus and 400 Indian business management
that for the fourth year in succession, university has retained its #1 ranking, case studies prepared by our Am-
Amity University, Noida (AU, because it is the “outcome of the hard ity Business School faculty have been
estb.2005), intensively promoted on work we have put in to maintain our purchased by American Ivy League
national television and in the media, top rank”. However Chauhan is es- universities to be taught in their B-
is ranked India’s #1 private multidis- pecially pleased with the top scores schools,” says Chauhan.
ciplinary university with top scores on awarded to AU under the parameters Responding to the charge that AU
four of 10 parameters of higher educa- of competence of faculty and research owes its consistent #1 institutional
tion excellence. and innovation. ranking to the university’s sustained
This year’s sample respondents “In Stanford University’s latest and unprecedented multi-media ad-
awarded AU highest scores under the annual survey of the world’s best 2 vertising, Chauhan explains that the
parameters of competence of faculty, percent scientists, 57 AU faculty have strategy was to impact the young
research and innovation, industry been included, more than any Indian (estb.2005) greenfield varsity upon
placements and leadership and a to- university. Moreover in 2024, AU was the public in a “compressed time-
tal score of 1,157 out of a maximum granted registration of 500 patents of frame”, an objective that has been
possible 1,300. AU is followed by the which 100 have been commercialised “satisfactorily attained”. Currently
Manipal Academy of Higher Ed- for which we were awarded Best Uni- AU has an aggregate enrolment of
ucation (MAHE) at #2 and Ashoka versity for Strong IP Ecosystem Award 30,000 students mentored by 2,000
University, Sonipat #3. The Top 5 of Assocham 2024, and Best Patents faculty and the Amity Group compris-
table is completed by Shiv Nadar Portfolio Award at the 10th CII In- ing 26 K-12 schools and 11 universities
University, Gautam Buddha dustrial Intellectual Property Awards 200,000 students and 6,000 faculty.
Nagar (UP) which has been awarded 2024. It’s also noteworthy that 40 life “Institutional advertising is a two-

APRIL 2025 EDUCATIONWORLD 43