• Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan released the India Rankings 2024, which implements the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras remained on the top spot in the National Institute Ranking Framework, 2024 for the sixth consecutive year.

• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru was ranked as the best university for the ninth year in a row.

What is National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF)?

• The higher education system in India is large and complex. India has the third largest higher education system in the world, behind China and the United States.

• According to the ministry, the global ranking systems give weightage to the parameters such as percentage of the international students and foreign faculty, and perception — where Indian institutions do not fare as well.

• In order to measure the excellence keeping in view the diversity of India, the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was launched by the government in September 2015. 

• This framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country.

Five broad categories of parameters identified in the NIRF and their weightage on scale of 10 are: 

i) Teaching, Learning and Resources 

ii) Research and Professional Practice 

iii) Graduation Outcome 

iv) Outreach and Inclusivity 

v) Perception.

Four distinct additions to 2024 edition of India Rankings are:

•  The India Rankings 2024 has expanded its scope by introducing three new categories: State Public Universities, Open Universities, and Skill Universities, elevating the total to 16 categories and subject domains. 

•  This strategic addition not only highlights the diversity of educational institutions in the country but also reflects a broader recognition of the unique contributions these universities make to higher education. 

•  Furthermore, the integration of an ‘Innovation’ ranking into the existing framework emphasizes the growing importance of creativity and innovation in academia. 

• The India Rankings endeavour remains a monumental and a rigorous undertaking, involving experts with profound knowledge of higher education system of India, the intricacies of bibliometric and citation analysis, and emerging trends in data science and analytics.

What are bibliometrics?

• Bibliometrics, or research impact, is the quantitative method of citation and content analysis for scholarly journals, books and researchers.

• The appeal of using bibliometrics to evaluate research output stems from its efficiency and convenience compared to the more time-consuming qualitative assessments conducted by subject experts. 

• However, science policy experts have consistently warned authorities about the pitfalls of over-reliance on bibliometric indicators as comprehensive measures of scientific performance. 

• They argue that such metrics fail to fully capture the complexities of scientific contributions.

• This issue was highlighted in a recent report by the journal Science, which exposed a dental college in Chennai for engaging in extensive self-citation practices to artificially boost its rankings.

• The report underscored both the utility of bibliometric parameters in gauging institutional research impact and the inherent risks when these metrics become the sole focus of assessment strategies.

Highlights of NIRF 2024:

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras retains its first position in ‘Overall Category’ for the sixth consecutive year — 2019 to 2024 and in engineering for 9th consecutive year — from 2016 to 2024.

• Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru tops the ‘Universities Category’ for ninth consecutive year — from 2016 to 2024. It stood first in the Research Institutions Category for the fourth consecutive year — from 2021 to 2024.

• IISc Bengaluru has bagged the second spot in the ‘Overall Category’ followed by IIT Bombay while IIT Delhi, which was at the third spot last year in the category, has slipped to the fourth position.

• Eight IITs have figured in the top ten besides All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

• Among universities, IISc Bengaluru is followed by JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia.

• Nine IITs are in the top ten list for engineering colleges with IIT Madras being at the top for the ninth consecutive year in the category. 

• IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay have also retained their second and third spot respectively in the category. 

• National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirapalli is the only non-IIT in the top ten list.

• Among management colleges, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad has retained its top spot, followed by IIM Bangalore and IIM Kozhikode. 

• Two IITs — Bombay and Delhi — have also figured in the top ten list for management courses.

• In pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard rose to the top spot from its second position last year while the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad slipped to the second rank. 

• BITS Pilani has retained its third position in the category.

• Delhi University’s Hindu College and Miranda House have switched positions in the colleges category with the former bagging the top spot. St Stephen’s College is in the third position among colleges.

• Similarly for law, the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru followed by the National Law University, Delhi and NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad have retained first, second and third spots respectively.

• For Architecture and Planning, IIT Roorkee has been announced as the best, followed by IIT Kharagpur and NIT Calicut.

• Among medical colleges, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has bagged the top position followed by PGIME, Chandigarh and CMC Vellore at second and third spot.

• Among the dental colleges, Saveetha Institute of Medical And Technical Sciences, Chennai and Manipal College of Dental Sciences retained the top two positions while the third rank has been bagged by Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi.

• For research, IISc Bengaluru has been acknowledged as the best followed by IIT Madras and IIT Delhi at second and third spot.

• In a newly introduced category for state public universities, Anna University in Chennai has bagged the top spot, followed by Jadavpur University in Kolkata and Savitribai Phule University, Pune.

Difference between NAAC accreditation and NIRF rankings

• Accreditation in India is a comprehensive assessment process conducted once every five years by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). 

• Established as an autonomous body, NAAC operates under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act of 1960.

• In contrast, ranking is an annual exercise that has been consistently carried out since 2015. 

• Although both accreditation and ranking assess educational institutions, they differ significantly in their specific criteria, metrics, and the qualitative and quantitative reports they generate.

• The chairman of NAAC’s Executive Committee has acknowledged discrepancies in the scores and emphasized the need for a review and improvement of the current system.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)