The problem with our university vision.

#GS-02 Education

Context

The QS World University rankings are announced and the number of Indian Universities in the top 1000 have increased.

QS World University Rankings is an annual report ranking universities by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
The QS system involves three components: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (world’s top universities for 51 different subjects and five composite faculty areas), and five independent regional tables—i.e., Asia, Latin America, Emerging Europe and Central Asia, the Arab Region, and BRICS.

Academic Reputation (40%). Employer Reputation (10%). Faculty Student Ratio (20%). Citations per Faculty (20%). International Faculty Ratio (5%). International Student Ratio (5%)
Number of Indian institutions in the top 1000 have increased from 22 last year to 27 this year.
Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Bangalore has risen up 31 places and is the highest ranked institution from India.

It aims to increase Gross Enrolment Ratio from 26.3% in 2018 to 50% in 2030.
It also aims to ensure that there is at least one multi-disciplinary HEI in or near every district.

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Other than the Institutes of Eminences, performance of Indian Universities leaves a lot to be desired.
Out of 1,043 Higher Education Institutions (HEI), 184 are centrally funded which receive adequate funding, however the state funded HEIs are struggling financially even though vast majority of undergraduates are studying in state funded HEIs.
Hence the centrally funded universities often perform much better than their state funded counterparts in almost all academic indicators.
The number of universities have been increased by 30% but the administrative infrastructure has not been strengthened to meet the demand.
Some multidisciplinary HEIs like JNU have slipped in the QS Rankings which has brought the effectiveness of NEP into question.

India needs to focus on State HEIs to increase the overall performance in these indices.
Improve administrative capacities to ensure proper monitoring of these HEIs and ensure they are following the proper guidelines.
Often specialized HEIs like IISc perform better than their multidimensional counterparts which shows the need for more specialization in terms of higher education.