The recent QS World University Rankings 2021 has sparked conversations about Indian education standards as it revealed a drop in rankings for the notable Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). However, there was some positive news as the newer IITs in Guwahati and Hyderabad showed improvement.
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) – a globally recognized career and education network – conducts this annual ranking. It utilizes a variety of comparative data collection and analysis methods to evaluate institutions on six parameters – academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.
India’s Performance in the Rankings
From India, only three institutions – IIT Bombay, IISc Bengaluru, and IIT Delhi – managed to secure a spot in the top 200 list. Despite the Indian government’s Institutes of Eminence (IoE) scheme aimed at enhancing India’s global academic reputation, the total number of Indian institutions in the top 1,000 fell from 24 to 21.
Among private universities, BITS Pilani and the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) dropped out of the top 1,000. However, OP Jindal Global University climbed to the 650-700 band.
Indian institutions scored zero on the ratio of international faculty and students. They also performed poorly on the faculty-student ratio, primarily due to counting only full-time faculty. In contrast, American universities count Ph.D. students who are teaching or involved in research.
On a brighter note, Indian institutions scored well on research impact measured through citations per faculty. Some academics suggest that if a parameter comparing the cost of education was introduced, Indian institutions could potentially make it to the world’s top 50.
Challenges and Efforts for Improvement
In 2020, in response to perceived issues with methodology and transparency, the collective IITs decided to boycott the World University Rankings released by the Times Higher Education (THE).
A significant factor contributing to the drop in Indian universities’ rankings is considered to be the lack of substantial efforts. In comparison, other universities worldwide are making strenuous efforts to enhance their educational offerings.
To address this issue, a committee of IIT directors has been formed to improve the perception of Indian institutes abroad and enhance the quality of standards within the country.
Potential Solutions and Recommendations
Given the situation, several suggestions have been put forward. One such proposal is for the government to launch a campaign aimed at enhancing educational institutes, similar to the ‘Incredible India’ campaign that promotes tourism.
The success of such an initiative would not only require a strong commitment to faculty hiring and research but also focus on internationalisation, devotion to humanities and social sciences, and drive to build a reputation through students and employers.
About the Institutions of Eminence Scheme
The IoE scheme is an initiative by the Indian government to upgrade or establish 20 institutions (10 each from public and private sectors) as world-class teaching and research institutions.
The objectives of the scheme include fostering excellence and innovation in post-graduate, graduate, and research degree levels along with engaging in specializations to contribute distinctly to the university education system. The institutes with the IoE tag will receive greater autonomy and the public ones will receive government grants.
A Collaborative Approach: The Way Forward
Perceptions about India and its education standards play a major role in these rankings. To change this, all universities and institutes must collaborate to tackle the issue. One approach could be to increase teaching capacity and attract more talented students and faculty worldwide to study and work in India.