Nagpur: Only two city-based pharmacy colleges figure in the list of top 100 institutions published by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) on Tuesday, out of the 35 institutes affiliated to Nagpur University (NU) that participated in the survey. Even the two colleges in the top 100 have dropped in the rankings as compared to last year, while some other city colleges have slipped below the 100th rank this year.
Kamptee-based Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy (KBCP), which had secured 34th rank last year, dropped to 44th this year. City-based Guru Nanak College of Pharmacy (GNCP), which had secured 49th rank last year, has slipped to 77.
Engineering colleges from the city miserably failed to maintain their rankings, and all participating institutes are now placed between 101-150 ranks. The prestigious Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (LIT) not making it among the country’s top 200 list has been attributed to lack of proper faculty. No recruitment has been done at LIT since 2013.
Last year, colleges like Ramdeobaba College of Engineering and Management (RCOEM), and GH Raisoni College of Engineering (GHRCE) had brought laurels to the city by figuring at 64th and 67th positions respectively in the engineering and technology section. However, the highest rank among city-based institutions in this section this year was achieved by Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) at 31st rank. This time, YCCE, Raisoni and RCOEM were placed between 101-150 ranks.
The rankings have evoked a mixed response from participating colleges.
Milind Umekar, principal, Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, said NIRF is promoting quality education as well as helping students. “While taking admission, students are greatly helped by the rankings. The rankings include criteria like placements, teaching, infrastructure, and research experienced faculty,” he said.
Umekar said last time the college was ranked 34th but that doesn’t mean it has degraded. “We stood 44th now but our position in the state is intact, and our score increased. There was more competition,” he explained.
Sarabjit Kalsi, secretary of Sikh Education Society, said they were happy to figure among the top 100 colleges. “But, we wonder if proper methodology is being followed in gathering data as we deserve a much higher ranking on merit. At international level, we have been rated as the best institute by the European Business Assembly Award,” he said.
Jairam Khobragade, director of Government Institute of Forensic Science, said, “We are aiming to be in the first 200 across the nation so that we know where we stand. We were lacking in infra and hostel facility, and need improvement in research and academics activities.”
Others feel the NIRF didn’t make much difference to their reputation or appeal among students.
Lalit Khullar, director, Tirpude Institute of Management Education, said, “It is not very important. The criteria for arriving at the ranking is not applicable to Indian conditions. Unnecessary stress is given on research and consultancy. These are not at developed stage here. We will keep on applying but we are not bothered. Students are also not really concerned.”
Preeti Bajaj, director, GH Raisoni College of Engineering, said, “We tried our best. The competition is getting tough. We can’t compete with them. Government funded institutes will always do better. We will try next year. Sometimes you do better sometimes others do better.”
