The performance of Indian institutes in the QS University World Ranking System, released recently, shows that their initiatives to upgrade the research ecosystem are yielding results.
It is a widely recognized system that assesses and ranks universities globally.
Compiled by - QS Quacquarelli Symonds, a higher education analytics firm, annually.
Launched in – 2004.
It helps students make informed decisions about their education.
Indicators
Academic reputation - 40% weightage
Employer reputation- 10% weightage
Faculty/student ratio - 20% weightage
Citations per faculty - 20% weightage and
International faculty/student ratios - 10% weightage
On popular demand from students, 3 new metrics have recently been added in listing universities around the world - International Research Network, Sustainability and Employment Outcomes.
Rankings of India’s Universities
9 institutes in the country figure in the top 50.
79 Indian universities have made it to the list, up from 69 last year.
Indian universities are particularly well represented in
Engineering (24 institutes),
Social sciences (20 institutes) and
Natural sciences (19 institutes).
Faculty Inadequacy - The best Indian universities, in contrast, score between 10 and 20.
Attracting an adequate number of qualified faculty and providing them with favorable working conditions has been a longstanding problem.
In 2023, a CAG audit found that though the IITs have been recruiting faculty consistently, the pace of recruitment did not match student enrolment.
Global Collaborations in need - The QS survey suggests that Indian universities could benefit from global collaborations to access a wider range of academic debates and discoveries.
The National Education Policy too rightly emphasizes the role of cross-border collaborations.
The government has also invited universities outside the country to set up campuses in India.
In 2023, IIT-Madras set up a wing in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Liberalize the student exchange rules between Indian and foreign universities as well as build linkages with industry.
