Slip in rankings

Other than a few bright spots for Indian institutes, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2024, released on Tuesday, have failed to bring cheer to the country’s education sector. Ranked 149th, IIT-Bombay has made it to the top-150 list. The University of Delhi (ranked 407th) and Anna University (427th) have entered the top-500 tier. However, the situation is largely bleak as most other so-called prestigious institutes and universities have slipped in the QS rankings, including other IITs and IISc-Bangalore. In all, 45 Indian universities up from 41 find a place in the latest rankings that feature 1,500 institutions. The shift in positions could be attributed to a reset in the methodology applied in this QS edition, which introduced Sustainability, Employment Outcomes and International Research Network in the assessment criteria.

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It is disconcerting that most of the universities from the region have not seen any improvement in their rankings. Rather, they have diminished in eminence even in other surveys, such as the Education Ministry’s NIRF rankings. That many of them are battling staff and fund shortages only hits their image further and is a cause for concern.

To keep pace with the universities gaining in stature, notably the Chinese ones, which are flush with funds for research and innovation, India needs to increase its education budget. The Union Cabinet’s approval for the National Research Foundation (NRF) and setting aside Rs 50,000 crore for the project from 2023 to 2028 is a good start. With its focus on state-level universities and institutions in rural areas, the NRF could help arrest the slide in the quality of higher education in India. It’s the key to improving the employability of the youth.