Surprisingly, Anna University, Chennai is awarded top score under the all-important parameter of research and innovation, rather than Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

The second most populous league table in the rationalised EW government universities rankings 2022-23 is of varsities offering engineering & technology programmes. Unsurprisingly, this 20-strong league table is dominated by the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (IISc), also ranked India’s #1 government university in the undivided league table of 2021-22.

Spread over a sprawling 440-acre campus in the garden city, IISc is ranked India’s #1 engineering and technology public university in 2022-23 with top scores under a record eight of ten parameters of higher education excellence including competence of faculty, placements, and industry interface. Promoted in 1909 through a generous land grant from pioneer industrialist J.N. Tata who founded the Mumbai-based Tata business empire, IISc is funded by the Central government through generous grants of the Union government (Rs.727.25 crore in the Union Budget 2022-23).

However, the abject dependence of IISc on government largesse has cast a shadow over autonomy of this venerated university. Director Dr. Govindan Rangarajan declined to comment on the elaborate EWIHER rankings on the ground that the survey is not “authorised” by government. “As a matter of policy, we officially participate only in government of India rankings or those designated by GoI,” he informed your correspondent.

Following IISc is Anna University, Chennai at #2 (#5 in 2021-22) and Delhi Technological University at #3 (#7). Unlike the top leadership of the centrally funded IISc, the management of the state government-promoted Anna University (AU, estb.1978) is more forthcoming and appreciative of EWIHER 2022-23. Surprisingly, AU is awarded top score under the all-important parameter of research and innovation in which the score awarded is based on objective criteria viz, faculty papers published in refereed journals and cited in the Scopus Index.

We welcome the new rationalised EW survey which evaluates universities in their domains. Since the establishment of the College of Engineering, Guindy in 1794, we have come a long way in pioneering and spearheading growth of technical education and research. Over the decades, AU, with its highly-qualified faculty has led several research and consultancy projects that have enhanced teaching-learning processes. Our campus hosts several autonomous research centres for executing innovative research projects and a full-fledged Centre for Intellectual Property Rights and Technology Transfer. An Entrepreneurship Development and Innovative Council has also been set up recently to enable and facilitate the startup ecosystem at the university. Therefore, I am not surprised by our top score for research and innovation in your rankings,

-G. Ravikumar, registrar, Anna University, Chennai, which has 11,934 students and 922 faculty on its muster rolls.

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The reclassification of EWIHER to avoid apples with oranges type comparisons has cleared the way for several universities specialising in engineering and technology education to rise and shine. For instance, the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, ranked #11 in the undivided league table of 2021-22 has been promoted to #4 jointly ranked with Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi (#6). Similarly, the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Prayagraj is #5 (14), Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh #6 (16) and Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur (West Bengal) #7 (20).

Prof. A.B. Pandit, vice-chancellor of the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (estb.1933), is euphoric that the institute conferred deemed university status in 2008, has been awarded India #4 rank with top scores for industry interface and placement.

I am delighted that ICT —a pioneer institution in chemical science and technology education —has been given overdue recognition in your new rationalised survey. I believe the dedicated effort of our faculty, support staff, and students in all campuses in Mumbai, Jalna-Marathwada and Bhubaneswar during the Covid pandemic has won us recognition and plaudits. ICT has close linkages with industry and our alumni are actively involved in the institute’s activities — both of which have substantially contributed to our high ranking on the parameters of industry interface and campus placements.

-Pandit, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Banaras Hindu University and ICT, Mumbai, who was appointed VC in 2019. Currently, ICT has an enrolment of 2,550 students including 452 doctoral students mentored by 130 faculty.

The Top 10 table is completed by the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, ranked #8 (#12), Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai #9 (#31) and TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi #10 (#29).

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