If you are planning to pursue higher education in any of the top universities in India, then it is the right time to look at NIRF rankings. This is the eighth edition of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and it was today, on July 15, that Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan released the list at 11 am.
With the first edition's release in 2016, the framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country. This year, a total of 7,254 institutions have been ranked by NIRF. But on what basis are they ranked? Why is NIRF ranking so important? WhatTheFAQ is here to give you all these details and more.
What are the ranking parameters and their weightage?
The parameters are:
- Teaching
- Learning & Resources
- Research and Professional Practice
- Graduation Outcomes
- Outreach and Inclusivity and Perception
The weightage each parameter has is 0.30, 0.30, 0.20, 0.10 and 0.10, respectively. Also, each parameter is marked out of 100.
What are the NIRF ranking categories?
- Overall
- University
- Engineering
- College
- Management
- Pharmacy
- Law
- Architecture
- Medical
- Dental
- Research
Why is NIRF ranking important?
While few reports online show that NIRF rankings are very crucial for institutions in improving their scholastic education, it is also said that the main purpose is to know where the institutions stand in comparison to others. And also to attract more admissions.
Is there any criticism around NIRF?
While few say these ranking only help in attracting new admission, other education experts say that over the years, the rankings of few institutes have been observed to be surprising. For instance, Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi secured 83rd rank in the 2016 Overall NIRF ranking. The 2017 overall NIRF ranking showed Jamia at 20th rank. This was questioned by educationalists in online reports asking if Jamia really improved that much in a year?
Jawaharlal Nehru University ranked Number 2 in the university category this year, despite seeing instances of portions of bathroom ceiling collapsing at a hostel and injuring a student.
Although the first edition received a lot of criticism, in the later years, the brickbats have certainly reduced in number.