India Rankings 2023

06 Jun India Rankings 2023

India Rankings 2023

This article covers “Daily Current Affairs” and the topic details “India Rankings 2023”. The topic “India Rankings 2023” has relevance in the Governance section for the UPSC CSE exam.

Relevance of the topic “India Rankings 2023”:

For Prelims:
What are India Rankings 2023?
For Mains:
GS 2: Governance
What is the status of Higher Education in India?
What is the significance of India Rankings 2023?
What are the issues with India Rankings 2023?
Way forward 

Why in the news?

The Minister of State for Education and External Affairs released the India Ranking. This marks a crucial step toward evaluating and recognizing the performance and quality of various institutions in India.

What are India Rankings 2023?

The India Rankings 2023 refer to the latest edition of the rankings released by the Ministry of Education in India. These rankings are a part of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) developed by the Ministry to assess and evaluate higher educational institutions across the country. The rankings provide insights into the performance and quality of various institutions in different categories.

Key Highlights of India Rankings 2023:

1. IIT Madras retains its 1st position in the Overall Category for the fifth consecutive year and in Engineering for the eighth consecutive year.
2. IISc Bengaluru tops the Universities Category for the eighth consecutive year and the Research Institutions Category for the third consecutive year.
3. IIM Ahmedabad ranks first in the Management subject for the fourth consecutive year.
4. AIIMS, New Delhi holds the top position in the Medical category for the sixth consecutive year and improves its overall ranking from 9th to 6th position.
5. NIPER, Hyderabad ranks first in the Pharmacy category, surpassing Jamia Hamdard.

What are the parameters taken by India Rankings to evaluate ?

The India Rankings 2023 take into consideration multiple parameters to evaluate institutions. They include:

1. Teaching
2. Learning
3. Research 
4. Graduation outcomes
5. Outreach and inclusivity, and 
6. Infrastructure. 

What is the significance of India Rankings 2023?

1. The ranking provides a comprehensive and objective assessment of institutions to help students, parents, and policymakers make informed decisions about higher education options.
2. The rankings serve as a tool for institutions to identify areas of improvement and strive for excellence in various aspects of their functioning.
3. They also promote healthy competition among institutions and encourage them to enhance their performance and quality standards.
4. They aid in promoting transparency, accountability, and excellence in the Indian education system.
5. They help the stakeholders in understanding the relative strengths and weaknesses of institutions and foster an environment of continuous improvement and growth in the higher education sector.

What are the issues with India Rankings 2023?

1. Limited Scope: Rankings may not capture the full diversity and specialisation of Indian higher education, focusing more on traditional parameters.
2. Subjectivity of Parameters: Some evaluation criteria can be subjective, leading to inconsistencies and biases in rankings.
3. Data Accuracy and Availability: Rankings heavily rely on accurate and uniformly reported data, which can be a challenge across institutions.
4. Inadequate Inclusivity Measures: Efforts to promote diversity and inclusion may not be fully captured in the rankings.
5. Overemphasis on Quantifiable Metrics: Rankings prioritise quantifiable metrics, potentially disadvantaging smaller institutions excelling in non-quantitative areas.
6. Lack of Long-Term Perspective: Rankings provide a snapshot and may not fully reflect an institution’s long-term impact and sustainability.

Way forward 

It is important to consider rankings alongside other factors such as academic programs, faculty expertise, student experiences, and alumni networks for informed decisions about higher education.

Source: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1930027

PRELIMS QUESTIONS

Q.1 Consider the following statements about the objective of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

1. To promote research collaboration among Indian universities
2. To evaluate the financial resources of higher education institutions
3. To provide a comprehensive ranking of higher education institutions in India
4. To determine the eligibility criteria for admissions in Indian universities

Select the correct answer from the code given below:

1.  1 only
2.  2 only
3.  3 only
4.  None of the above

Answer: (c)

Q.2 Which of the following parameters are considered by the India Rankings 2023 to evaluate educational institutions? 

1. Teaching and learning methods
2. Research output and collaborations
3. Graduation Outcomes and employability
4. Outreach and inclusivity initiatives

Select the correct answer from the code given below:

1.  1 only
2.  1 and 2 only
3.  1 and 3 only
4.  All of the above

Answer: (d)

Mains Question

1. Critically analyse the role of India Ranking 2023 in the improvement of the outcomes of the institutions in India.

Mohit Pratap Singh