QS I·GAUGE recently awarded an overall DIAMOND rating to Sonipat, Haryana based O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) after a rigorous audit which spanned over six months. The recognition added another feather in the cap for JGU after being ranked in the 251-300 band in the 2018 edition of QS BRICS University Rankings released last November. JGU is the youngest university in India to receive both accolades.
Besides awarding JGU with an overall rating, QS I-Gauge has also awarded the university the highest possible rating in six areas – Teaching and Learning, Employability, Facilities, Social Responsibility, Accreditation and Entrepreneurship.
According to Ashwin Fernandes, CEO, QS I·GAUGE and regional director for QS in South Asia, “Indian students choosing where to study are increasingly likely to be persuaded by a university’s standing in rankings and ratings. Rankings provide a rank, but students now want to get deeper insights into what areas a university excels in, so that besides curriculum he or she can find co-curricular activities of their interest or even estimate their future path after graduation. Hence, rankings and ratings are now becoming an integral area of focus for Indian universities”.
Commenting on the recognition, Naveen Jindal, founding chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, said, “This is a fantastic academic year for JGU at many levels – the QS BRICS Rankings 2018 recognising JGU among the top 251-300 universities in the BRICS region, the QS I·GAUGE Diamond Rating in this year and the MHRD’s recognition for autonomy a few months ago, being one of only two Indian private universities to be given this distinction makes a very special and unparalleled achievement. The vision of JGU since its establishment in 2009 was to build a world class university in India. These national and international recognitions serve as a testimonial to the outstanding contribution of the faculty, students and staff of JGU and I extend my congratulations to them and all other stakeholders for their passion, commitment and dedication to institution building.”
Commenting on the accolade, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, founding vice chancellor, JGU said, “This is indeed a wonderful recognition. We are truly humbled by the fact that all what we have been doing in the last decade has come to fruition in this manner. International rankings of universities have created new. opportunities for Indian universities to aspire towards seeking excellence. The paradigm shift in the Indian higher education system is being promoted through efforts to create world class universities in both the public and the private sector. The historical distinctions borne out of biases and prejudices between public and private universities needs to be eliminated in India, if we are to promote excellence in our institutions of higher learning. All universities should be treated equally and ought to have a public character and should be contributing towards common good”.
JGU’s achievement in this latest assessment is notable given the young age of the institution. The university made its debut in the QS BRICS University Rankings only last November. In the last decade, JGU has grown into a multidisciplinary research oriented university with 8 different schools in Law, Business, International Affairs, Public Policy, Liberal Arts,Journalism, Architecture and Banking & Finance.
UK based QS Quacquarelli Symonds launched its Indian rating framework, QS I·GAUGE in March 2018 in the presence of former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. QS I·GAUGE is a brand incorporated in India as an independent private-sector initiative specialised in rating colleges and universities. It brings together the global expertise, experience and reputation of QS, along with deep local knowledge of luminaries from Indian higher education.
QS I·GAUGE rating was developed to provide a much more detailed insight into the unique higher education landscape of India. When one looks at rankings, which are based on six to nine indicators, it does give an overview of institutions that are echelons of quality. Whereas ratings complement rankings by getting deeper into what makes an institution unique, and brings to light areas which are not captured by rankings, but nevertheless have significant impact in building a world class institution. Both rankings and ratings put together, provide students and stakeholders with a better understanding of the choice of institution for them.
In this changing landscape of the Indian higher education system, rankings and ratings are now beginning to play an important part for students to choose a university for further study. Undoubtedly, it has come to play a significant role in shaping the opinions of current and potential students, parents, employers, and governments about the quality of tertiary education institutions.
QS I·GAUGE was created by QS Quacquarelli Symonds and was introduced in India to help address the growing uncertainty around existing rating and rankings assessments by the private sector. The rating process is understood to follow stringent international standards for evaluation of an institution, while using indicators that capture the dynamic landscape of Indian higher education.
The rating awarded to JGU is valid for three years, after which it is subject to a re-audit as per an updated methodology at that time.