Page 40 - EW may 2026

Cover Story

EducationWorld India School Rank- Investigation (CBI) arrested
ings (EWISR, estb.2007) — which three office-bearers of the
has evolved into the world’s largest Guntur-based Koneru Laksh-
schools survey — provide schooling maiah Education Foundation
of global standard. (KLEF) together with seven
A higher education system built members of a NAAC task
on this rickety foundation can’t be force for conspiracy to pro-
strong. The most recent confirmation vide KLEF University, Gun-
of the poor quality of higher education tur a favourable stars rating
is the State of Working India (SWI) report. On April 9, Dr. Anil
2026, a 254-page report published by Sahasrabudhe, chairman of
Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, in NAAC, announced that fol-
March. According to the report sub- lowing this contretemps, the
titled ‘Youth in the Labour Market: Bengaluru-based NAAC has
Pathways from Learning to Earning’ Allahabad job seekers: rickety foundation weeded out 20 percent of its
40 percent of graduates of India’s approved academic asses-
higher education institutions (53,000 ing agility” and 50 percent the neces- sors on the recommendation of a ten-
colleges and 1,338 universities) are sary soft skills for global employment. member Special Committee.
unemployed for over 12 months. The Against this backdrop, choosing the The other official league table rank-
report adds that the number of unem- ‘right’ — most academically and apti- ing HEIs is the Union education min-
ployed graduates (aged 20-29) has ris- tudinally suitable — undergrad college istry’s NIRF (National Institutional
en from a mere 5 million in 1983 to 63 is a matter of critical importance for Ranking Framework) introduced in
million in 2023 — from 13 percent to higher secondary school-leavers. 2015. Although it is often cited by
67 percent before declining to 40 per- some HEIs as proof of higher educa-
cent after spiking during the Covid-19 HEREFORE SINCE 2013, tion excellence, right from the start
lockdown. “Nevertheless, this report T your editors have been NIRF has drawn criticism for arbitrary
is a harsh indictment of India’s higher publishing the Education- and patently incredible rankings.
education system. In the UK and US, World India Higher Edu- In March last year, the Madurai
the percentage of unemployed grads cation Rankings to identify 500 best Bench of the Madras high court issued
is less than 4 percent and in China an autonomous and non-autonomous a stay order on the ministry from pub-
estimated 16 percent,” observed our undergrad Arts, Science and Com- lishing NIRF 2025 after a PIL (public
Delhi correspondent, Autar Nehru merce (ASC) colleges countrywide; interest litigation) writ alleged “data
in a report on SWI 2026 last month 250 private engineering (excluding manipulation and lack of transpar-
(April). public heavily subsidised and diffi- ency in the NIRF ranking process”.
The dismal conclusions of SWI cult to enter IITs, NITs) from a total Nor is it any wonder that the country’s
2026 are endorsed by the India of 5,868 and 200 private B-schools top-ranked private universities —
Skills Report (ISR) 2025 published out of a total of 3,900. O.P. Jindal Global, Ashoka and Amity
by Wheebox ETS, a Gurugram-based Although media publications and universities, Dhirubhai Ambani Uni-
talent acquisition, retention, and up- several government agencies notably versity, Gandhinagar among numer-
skilling company which administers NAAC (National Assessment and Ac- ous others — don’t ‘participate’ (i.e,
its Global Employment Test to a sam- creditation Council), a subsidiary of provide solicited data) in the annual
ple 6.5 lakh final year college students the University Grants Commission NIRF, indicating fear of anti-private
and graduates. According to Whee- (UGC), awards its A-E star ratings sector bias in NIRF rankings.
box, only 56.35 percent of graduates to colleges and universities that opt Although several media publica-
in India are globally employable, i.e, for assessment, NAAC doesn’t — and tions including India Today also
44 percent are not. never did — inspire much confidence. publish annual college and university
This depressing report is supported Even though it was established in rankings, these are politics-focused
by Mercer/Mettl, a New York-based 1994, thus far only 9,000 colleges publications for whom education
firm with several offices in India that and universities have volunteered for reporting and coverage is periph-
bills itself as the “world’s fastest, larg- NAAC accreditation. Unsurprising, eral. They lack the specialist domain
est online assessment and certifica- because ab initio the NAAC institu- knowledge and focus of Education-
tion company” with 6,000 corporate tional evaluation and rating system World. Therefore, it’s generally ac-
clients in 80 countries. Mercer/Mettl has been plagued with corruption and cepted that the annual EWIHER with
reports that only 46 percent of col- scandals. its careful categorisation of HEIs — to
lege graduates have “sufficient learn- Last year, the Central Bureau of eliminate apples with oranges com-

40 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2026