PU physics dept slips in QS subject-wise rankings

Amit Bathla

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 4

In the subject-wise QS World University Ranking-2020, only the Physics Department of Panjab University made it to the list. The department was ranked in the 451-500 bracket in physics and astronomy subjects, among other educational institutions across the world.

According to the data available, even this ranking of the physics department has come down. It had secured a spot in 301-400 bracket in 2015.

However, the university stands nowhere in subjects such as arts and humanities, engineering and technology, life science and medicine and social sciences.

After breaking down, the department scores were like as per ranking criteria: 42.3 (academic reputation), 35.9 (employer reputation), 79.1 (H-index Citations) and 78.3 (Citations per Paper).

Indian institutions those who got higher position that PU in the physics department are Indian Institute of Science (101-150), Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, (101-150), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, (151-200), Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, (151-200), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (151-200), Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, (251-300), Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, (301-350), Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, (301-350), Banaras Hindu University (451-500) and Jadavpur University (451-500).

On the other hand, the university officials downplayed the survey data, calling it a subjective way of ranking an educational institute.

Ashish Jain, Director, Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), PU, said, “This is not a new set of data. It is a subset that was released last year. PU couldn’t really make it up to the mark as British company Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) heavily depends on perceptions. It is a subjective way of ranking an educational institute.

“However, on any other parameters which are objective, PU has scored well over its last year performances,” he said.

Panjab University is also slipping in overall rankings by QS. It failed to secure a spot in QS World University Rankings-2020 list of top universities wherein 1,000 universities reviewed from across the globe, including 283 in Asia, were reviewed.

This was the second consecutive year in which the university didn’t not figure on the QS ranking list. In 2018, it was ranked in the 801-1,000 bracket.