To ensure participation in NIRF rating process
If a ranking test is mandatory for students, why not the same for the educational institutes as well? After all we deserve to know which one is the best for us to study at. The Central government seems to have taken up this right cue at the right time.
Yes, you heard it right. The central government is mulling over the idea to make it mandatory for all higher-education institutes to join the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). This move comes after the number of institutes participating in the rating dropped to 2,995 in 2017. This number was 3,563 in 2016.
The HRD ministry is also looking at relaxing criteria for rankings. Economic Times has learnt through its well-placed sources that the ministry is in talks with authorities like the University Grants Commission (UGC) to look into the same.
According to the HRD ministry, India has 39,000 colleges; 11,000 standalone institutions and over 760 universities that together constitute nearly 51,000 institutions in the country. Out of this huge number, the second edition of NIRF saw participation of merely 6% institutes.
Why participation in NIRF dropped
Some of the reasons cited by the HRD ministry for non-participation were:
1: Lack of awareness
2. Non-elgibility as per the criteria
3. Simple lack of documentation.
NIRF’s Ranking Process
NIRF’s ranking method is based on five broad parameters:
A)Teaching, learning and resources
B) Research and professional practice
C) Graduation outcome
D) Outreach and inclusivity
E) Perception
The maximum score a university can get is 100. Sources said that while the basic parameters will remain the same, the HRD ministry is looking at tweaking the subheads and questions meant to be answered under those parameters. This is being done to encourage institutes to come forward.
