National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• The NIRF (About, parameters, categories, significance, how to improve)
• Why Does India Require its Own Ranking Framework?
• Highlights of the NIRF 2023

 

Why in News?

• The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) announced the India Rankings 2023 (8th consecutive edition) of higher education institutions in New Delhi.
• In all, 5,543 institutions offered themselves for ranking under ‘overall’, category-specific and/or domain-specific rankings for India Rankings 2023.

 

 

The National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF):

• About:
  • The NIRF was launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD now Ministry of Education) in 2015 (first edition came in 2016).
  • This framework, which is the first-ever effort by the Government of India, outlines a methodology to rank HEIs across the country.
  • While participation in the NIRF was initially voluntary, it became mandatory in 2018 for all government-run educational institutions.
• Ranking parameters:

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• Categories:
  • Initially, NIRF ranked the best institutions across 11 categories - overall national ranking, universities, engineering, college, medical, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, dental and research.
  • With the addition of 2 new categories (Innovation and Agriculture & Allied Sectors), the existing portfolio of India Rankings has increased to 13 categories.
• Significance:
  • The NIRF process gives detailed feedback regarding a HEI’s strengths and weaknesses.
  • The NIRF assisted institutions in gaining a better understanding of their annual performance as well as their competitors and peer performers.
  • This provides other benefits, such as attracting industry for better placement and serving as a credible resource for parents and students to learn about the HEIs.
  • The NIRF indirectly assists top-performing institutions in building their brand and gaining widespread recognition without incurring additional marketing and branding costs.
• How to improve NIRF Ranking?

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Why Does India Require its Own Ranking Framework?

• Subjective global rankings: The government-run HEIs were dissatisfied with their rankings in the QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
  • Their ranking methods rely on the opinions of a small group of people.
• Case of China: When China faced the same dilemma around, they responded by creating their own university ranking system, called the Shanghai Rankings.
  • Therefore, India has also launched its own rankings, with parameters tailored to the Indian scenario.
• To make it international in character: Though the Shanghai Rankings were designed to be worldwide from the start, the NIRF solely ranks Indian HEIs. 
  • However, the long-term plan is to give it an international character (especially for developing countries).

 

Highlights of the NIRF 2023:

• Overall rankings: The IIT-Madras remained the best educational institution in overall rankings for the fifth consecutive term.
  • It has also been ranked the best engineering college for the eighth consecutive year (from 2016 to 2023).
• Best university: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru ranked as the best university in the country for eight years in a row.
  • It stood first in ‘Research Institutions’ category too, for the third consecutive year
• Best college: Miranda House, Delhi is ranked the best college for the seventh consecutive year.
• Top management institute: Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad is the top management institute for the fourth consecutive year.
• Top in pharmaceutical studies: National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad is ranked number one (first time) for pharmaceutical studies.
• Best medical and dental college: The AIIMS, Delhi is ranked the best medical college (for the sixth consecutive year), and Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai is the top dental college.
  • AIIMS is ranked at sixth position in Overall category thereby improving from its ninth position in 2022.
• Best law college: National Law School of India University, Bengaluru is ranked the best law college in the country for the sixth consecutive year.
• First in Architecture subject: IIT-Roorkee stood at first position in Architecture subject.
• Agriculture sector: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi took the top slot in ‘Agriculture and Allied Sectors’.
• Topper in innovation category: IIT-Kanpur topped the ‘Innovation’ category.

 

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Q1) What is the Revitalising Infrastructure and System in Education (RISE) scheme?

Announced in the Budget 2018-19, the government will provide low-cost funds/loans to educational institutions for infrastructure development under the RISE scheme.

 

Q2) What is EQUIP (Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme)?

EQUIP aims at ushering transformations in India’s higher education system by implementing strategic interventions (like double the GER in higher education) in the sector over five years (2019 – 2024).

 

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Source: NIRF 2023 | IIT-Madras occupies top spot; IISc Bengaluru ‘best university’ | IE | ToI