The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry is considering setting up a specialised body, India Rankings Society, to rank Indian education institutions and help them improve in areas where they are found lagging.
The All India Council of Technical Education approved this in a meeting on Wednesday.
In 2015, the HRD ministry launched the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) to address the need for an authentic ranking mechanism for educational institutions.
In the absence of a specialized body, the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) was given the task. “Although the NBA has done a commendable job, it was assigned this task in addition to its already defined job of accreditation. Secondly, it is envisaged that the specialized rankings society will also guide institutions to perform better on the parameters on which they are found lagging,”a senior HRD official said on condition of anonymity.
The plan is to have universities, engineering, medical, pharmacy, and law colleges, and business schools ranked by the new body.
Significantly, the Modi government has focused extensively on improving the global ranking of Indian institutions. In its first term it launched an Institutions of Eminence programme aimed at increasing the number of Indian educational institutions in global rankings.
“The AICTE in its meeting today has given its in-principle nod to the proposal to set up the India Ranking Society,” said Anil D Sahasrabudhe, chairman of the AICTE.
In 2017, the HRD ministry set up the National Testing Agency as a premier, specialist, autonomous and self-sustained testing organization to conduct entrance examinations in higher educational institutions.
According to the HRD official cited above, the ministry may follow the IIM model in setting up the national rankings body.
In another decision, AICTE said it would not allow the opening of more pharmacy colleges in the next two years.
The All India Council of Technical Education approved this in a meeting on Wednesday.
In 2015, the HRD ministry launched the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) to address the need for an authentic ranking mechanism for educational institutions.
In the absence of a specialized body, the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) was given the task. “Although the NBA has done a commendable job, it was assigned this task in addition to its already defined job of accreditation. Secondly, it is envisaged that the specialized rankings society will also guide institutions to perform better on the parameters on which they are found lagging,”a senior HRD official said on condition of anonymity.
The plan is to have universities, engineering, medical, pharmacy, and law colleges, and business schools ranked by the new body.
Significantly, the Modi government has focused extensively on improving the global ranking of Indian institutions. In its first term it launched an Institutions of Eminence programme aimed at increasing the number of Indian educational institutions in global rankings.
“The AICTE in its meeting today has given its in-principle nod to the proposal to set up the India Ranking Society,” said Anil D Sahasrabudhe, chairman of the AICTE.
In 2017, the HRD ministry set up the National Testing Agency as a premier, specialist, autonomous and self-sustained testing organization to conduct entrance examinations in higher educational institutions.
According to the HRD official cited above, the ministry may follow the IIM model in setting up the national rankings body.
In another decision, AICTE said it would not allow the opening of more pharmacy colleges in the next two years.
Source: Hindustan Times (Mumbai) dated August 22, 2019
