07 Dec NIRF RANKING (CENTRE AND STATE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS)-  GS PAPER II & III

A GENERAL ANALYSIS:  To rank Institutions of higher education in India, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, adopted the methodology of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)

NIRF RANKING (CENTRE AND STATE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS)- Today Current Affairs

The parameters mainly cover the following- 

•  Teaching 

•  Learning and Resources

•  Research and Professional Practices

•  Graduation Outcomes

•  Outreach and Inclusivity

•  Perception

The ranking of higher education Institutions (HEIs) ,run by the States as well as the Institutions funded by the centre, like –

• The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)

• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

• The National Institutes of Technology (NIT) 

• Central Universities

.

The State universities and colleges are being compared with the Ivy League of India.

The Central government earmarked the following funds in the Union Budget 2021-

• ₹7,686 crore to the IITs 

• ₹7,643.26 crore to central universities 

According to an All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2019-20 report,Out of total higher education Institutions (1,043) :-

• 48 are central universities

• 135 are institutions of national importance

• one is a central open university

• 327 are State private universities 

• one is a State private open university

• 36 are government deemed universities

• 10 are government aided deemed universities 

• 80 are private deemed universities

• 386 are State public universities

• 5 are institutions under the State legislature act 

• 14 are State open universities 

The ranking of State-run and centrally-funded higher education institutions by NIRF, on a common scale, is having a number of issues.

In India, out of 1,043 HEIs :- 

184 institutions are funded by the centre, to which the Government of India generously provides the financial resources.

State governments provide inadequate financial support to their respective State public universities and colleges. 

Out of total student enrolment –

The undergraduate students is the largest in number (13,97,527) in State public universities. At the second number, its the State open universities (9,22,944).

Deficiencies in the focus- The Hindu Analysis

The financial health of HEIs, sponsored by the states, is known to all, where salary and pension liabilities are hardly managed. Hence, rating such institutions in relation to centrally funded institutions does not make any sense. 

Cost-benefit analysis of State versus centrally funded HEIs on economic indicators, is not carried out by any agency like–

• return on investment (by the Government) vis-à-vis 

• the contribution of their students in nation building

Students passing out of elite institutions, prefer going abroad in search of higher studies and better career prospects, a majority of State HEIs contribute immensely in building the local economy.

•  In India, 420 universities are located in rural areas

To compete with centrally sponsored and strategically located HEIs, the main issues are :- 

•  Scare resources

•  lackadaisical attitude of States 

 Ranking parameters-

The NIRF ranks HEIs on 5 parameters :

•  Teaching

•  Research and professional practice

•  Graduation outcome

•  Outreach and inclusivity

•  Learning and resources

•  Perception

2 NIRF parameters in the context of State HEIs can be considered as follows –

• Teaching

• Learning and resources

Student strength include :- 

• Doctoral students

• Faculty-student ratio 

Importance of-

1. Emphasis on permanent faculty

2. Faculty with the qualification of PhD

3. Financial resources and their utilisation

In the absence of adequate faculty strength, most State HEIs lag behind in this crucial NIRF parameter for ranking.

 The depleting strength of teachers, from 15,18,813 (2015-16) to 15,03,156 (2019-20) due to-

• continuous retirement and 

• low recruitment 

The faculty-student ratio with an emphasis on permanent faculty in HEIs has reduced.

Research and professional practice encompasses :-

•  A combined metric for publications

•  A combined metric for quality of publications

•  Intellectual property rights/patents

•  The footprint of projects

•  Professional practice

• Executive development programmes

 As most laboratories need drastic modernisation, State HEIs fare miserably in this parameter as well while comparing against central institutions.

Share of PhD students is :-

•  The highest in State public universities→ 29.8%, 

•  Institutes of national importance→ 23.2%

•  Deemed universities – private (13.9%) 

•  Central universities (13.6%) 

State HEIs receive lesser funds compared to centrally funded institutions. 

As the dependency on quality research publications and the number of patents filed in State HEIs are :-

•  well-equipped laboratories

•  modern libraries

•  generously funded infrastructure

Where State HEIs struggle ?

State HEIs are struggling to embrace emerging technologies like :-

•  Artificial intelligence

•  Machine learning

• Block chains

• Smart boards

• Handheld computing devices

• Adaptive computer testing for student development

• Other forms of educational software/hardware to remain relevant as per the New Education Policy

TO CONCLUDE:

It is high time that NIRF should plan a mechanism to rate the output and the performance of different institutes in light of the available constraints and the resources with them.

Here we mention all details information about NIRF RANKING (CENTRE AND STATE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS) Today Current Affairs. The Hindu Analysis.

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Rajeev Yadav

Plutus IAS Current Affairs Team Member