A fascinating spectacle is happening in the bustling arena of Indian higher education. Universities swirl to the clipped pulse of global rankings, with each step planned to impress the austere arbiters of one or the other global ranking agencies. While there’s nothing to hold against such rankers or their ambitions, some pertinent questions arise on the influence of such rankings on a section of the universities.
Especially in the background that India’s National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, sings a different tune, encouraging them to pause the frenzy and rediscover the art of teaching and improve pedagogical approaches. India’s institutions must now master a delicate balance of opposing rhythms — prestige with teaching, rankings with actual learning.
With a country’s academic future on the line, it’s a high-wire performance fit for a carnival, minus the cotton candy. Resisting the siren song of rankings is difficult.
A high place on the global ladder raises a banner of renown, attracting ambitious students, foreign partners, and significant money. Top-tier universities, both government and private enjoy this glow — mailboxes of professors and students brimming with worldwide offers, halls reverberating with industry footsteps.
Can this quest transform institutions into citation factories, with students navigating a maze of faded notes and half-hearted lectures while instruction takes a back seat. Is pedagogy, the subtle art of kindling brains, getting overlooked?
A report published in May 2014 by academic David Robinson in Inter-Research Science Publisher highlighted the question of whether (University) rankers are attempting to turn an abstract and complicated idea into a single quantitative quality presented on a gradually ascending scale. The paper argues that university rankings do not accurately capture what makes a good university. They reduce an institution’s achievements and practices to a simple ordinal scale, making them unreliable indicators of quality.
NEP 2020: Revival of teaching
Now comes the NEP 2020, sweeping in a reform agenda in higher education. It seeks to – at least intends to – rewrite the rankings script with a learner’s heart, rather than torching it. Ideas that were previously discussed quietly in academic corridors — multidisciplinary courses, skill-based learning, and interactive classrooms — are now trumpeted from policy roofs.
Universities are thriving all over India. Lets see one example: With several departments experimenting with real-world problem-solving rather than rote recitals, Delhi University’s four-year undergraduate program encourages professors to teach dynamically. While Banaras Hindu University combines its ancient roots with current branches—think of a curriculum which brings together ancient Indian wisdom with technology degrees to create an Indian way of technology development that has ethics in its centre. Though not perfect, these alterations indicate a rebirth that is just waiting to occur.
Case studies in development
Consider Delhi University, which has held the Institute of Eminence status since 2019. The additional funding of up to ₹1,000 crore encourages innovation, while the NEP has prompted curriculum reviews. Although not every college has replaced chalk with flair, the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework encourages interactive alternatives.
Even if the lecture hall still reigns elsewhere, students face practical challenges with renewed zeal in some departments, such as Commerce or Sciences. Then there’s the famous link between ages, Banaras Hindu University. Its Ayurveda faculty thrives alongside IIT-BHU’s engineering labs, providing students with a balanced diet of tradition and modernism. These are still works in progress rather than completed accomplishments.
Rankings: A defined yardstick, with errors
Still, let’s not consign our ranks to the intellectual attic with yesterday’s literature. Despite some inaccuracies, rankings are useful signals and as a concept a worldwide handshake for universities seeking foreign knowledge or privileged networks. IIT Bombay’s MIT tie-ups honor this game.
What’s the catch? Rankings reduce classroom magic in favour of research articles, hence undervaluing instruction. India may nudge this measure toward justice, possibly with a scorecard that recognizes a graduate’s employability or the spark of a lecturer. Though doubtful, it is worth a debate.
Resolving the teaching-research divide
The actual expertise is merging research with education; those academic odd couples who have been apart for too long should be reunited. Faculty members shouldn’t have to choose between answering student questions and meeting publication deadlines.
Consider research-enriching lectures — a biologist discussing lab discoveries with undergraduates, an economist debating policy with recent grads. This necessitates practical measures like dual-role training, transdisciplinary projects, and non-exhaustive schedules. Though not yet prevalent, the NEP’s multidisciplinary approach indicates prospects.
Ensemble: Industry and regulatory officials
Regulators and corporations, among other supporting parties, must get ready. The University Grants Commission may simplify its bureaucratic structure, allowing universities to thrive and innovate. Labs and smart classrooms require money, not just promises. Meanwhile, industry may connect courses to the real world; IITs currently attract corporations, MNCs and start-ups, but more widespread connections might ensure graduates employ talents beyond theory.
An unfinished finale. Not yet; there is no standing ovation. With all their perceived weaknesses, this balance of ranks and learning is more like a rehearsal than a premiere. However, if Indian universities can comprehend it—valuing international awards while keeping the student at the center—they will produce something everlasting. Not simply a higher status, but also institutions that train minds to fascinate and mock the world’s quirks.
(K. Ramachandran, writes on higher education issues and is Strategy head of an ed-tech company in Chennai.)
Published – April 10, 2025 01:40 pm IST