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.

What’s in Today’s Article?

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

• Categories:
  • Initially, NIRF ranked 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?

 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