IITs to take steps after dismal rankings

To interact with QS ranking officials, augment research and appraise performance of their Directors

A week after six of the seven older Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) slipped in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World Asian Universities Ranking for 2013, the ministry of human resource development (MHRD) and the council of IITs on Monday decided to take a serious view of the positioning of IITs.

To improve rankings, the IITs would focus on augmenting research and put their directors through a performance appraisal by the board of governors (BoGs). Also, a leadership development programme, first for the senior management and then for the younger faculty, would be introduced at the IITs. External peer review and accreditation of IITs will also be looked at.

"On the rankings front, a panel of IIT directors is looking into the issue and interacted with QS ranking officials to understand the methodology of the ranking agencies and systems," said a statement from the MHRD. "Though the undergraduate engineering programmes of the IITs are some of the best offered globally, on composite indicator rankings, there is scope for improvement.” The statement added a slew of steps had been cleared to encourage students to enrol in PhD programmes in IITs. For students of centrally-funded technical institutes, with a cumulative grade point average, an educational ranking or evaluation method, above seven, admission to IITs would be possible without a Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering.

IIM-A slips 8 places in global B-School ranking

The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad fell eight places to 18 in the Financial Times Masters in Management Rankings 2013. It was 10th last year. The report ranks top-70 programmes in general management that do not require students to have work experience for admission to the Master’s programme.      

At 19th spot, the list saw the debut of IIM-Calcutta, the second IIM and Indian B-school to be ranked among global B-schools.