The University Grants Commission (UGC) has utilized its Empowered Expert Committee (EEC), led by N Gopalaswami, to nominate 20 establishments for the Institutes of Eminence (IOE) tag. This prestigious accolade is designed to promote excellence and innovation in higher education, spanning post-graduate, graduate, and research degree levels. The selected institutions are committed to making significant contributions to university education systems through specialized teaching and cutting-edge research.
Nominating IOEs: The Empowered Expert Committee
The EEC was appointed by the UGC to assess applications and shortlist the top 20 Institutions of Eminence. This comprised an equal split between ten public and ten private institutions, each striving to deliver superior-quality education and conduct groundbreaking research.
Objectives Behind the IOEs
The primary objectives behind the IOE nominations are multifold. The program seeks to stimulate excellence and innovation in diverse branches of knowledge at various education levels. It sharpens focus on specialized areas that can contribute significantly to the advancement of the university education system.
The IOE status also propels schools to aim for international recognition for their teaching and research quality. Over time, these institutions should strive to be globally recognized as one of the world’s top hundred institutions.
Evaluation Criteria for IOE Status
To ensure a transparent and fair nomination process, the institutions must meet specific criteria for consideration for the IOE tag. These include global/national rankings, where only those schools listed in any of the global or national ranks are nominated for the IOE status.
In the event of a tie, the QS-2020 world rankings are used for public institutions, while the QS-2019 rankings serve as a tiebreaker. Private institutions are evaluated based on their QS India or National Institution Ranking Framework (NIRF) rank, with NIRF used as a tie-breaker.
Schools not appearing in any of these rankings are excluded from IOE tag consideration.
Greenfield Proposals and their Role
Under exceptional circumstances, Greenfield proposals can also be considered for the IOE status. These proposals entail the initiation of projects without prior work or established institutions. Greenfield Institutions are given a three-year period to set up and operationalize before the EEC considers granting them the IOE status.
| Name of Greenfield Institution | Status Granted |
|---|---|
| Satya Bharti Foundation | Second Greenfield Institution to be given IOE status |
| Reliance’s Jio Institute | First Greenfield Institution to be given IOE status |
Benefits of Bearing the IOE Tag
The IOE tag equips institutes with an increased level of autonomy and freedom. They will have more authority to determine fees, course durations, and governance structures. Furthermore, public institutions bearing this tag receive a government grant of ₹1,000 crore. However, it is important to note that while private institutions do benefit from the IOE status, they do not qualify for funding under this scheme.
