The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) grading for 2020 have brought good tidings for the State higher education sector with more colleges making the grade this year.
However, many colleges that fared well in the previous editions fell in the rankings as they struggled for consistency, with only a few bucking the trend.
Kerala University managed to hold on to its position as the highest-ranked university in the State, despite falling a rung in the pan-India standings.
No university
While three other State universities figured among the top 100 like last year, no other university could break into the elite league this time around.
Arts and science colleges, yet again, stood the State in good stead with 20 colleges ranked among the best 100. Besides bettering the previous tally of 18, some colleges managed to improve their position. University College, Thiruvananthapuram, was the best in the lot with a ranking of 23.
In an apparent reflection of stagnancy that is feared to have set in the technical education sector, the status quo was maintained in the case of ranked engineering colleges. State-run institutions continued their struggle to become the ‘best’ in Kerala with the Centrally funded National Institute of Technology, Calicut, and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, topping the category.
A concern
Raising further concern, the ranking of the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, (CET) fell from 71st to 85th.
Medical education presented a dismal picture with no colleges from the State making it to the top 40 medical, top 30 dental, and top 75 pharmacy colleges.
Three private colleges figured in the categories last year.
Former Kerala University Vice Chancellor and health activist B. Ekbal rued the inability of State medical institutions to force their way into the rankings.
“Lagging behind in medical education, even while Kerala matched up to developed countries in terms of health indicators, is a paradox. We lag behind other States in academic achievement and research by a long distance,” Dr. Ekbal pointed out.
Indicating that State universities also have a long way to go to achieve excellence, Dr. Ekbal said none of the universities could make any vital contributions during the COVID-19 crisis as made by the likes of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology and the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology.
Lack of drive
Educationist R.V.G. Menon attributed the failure of engineering colleges in figuring among the country’s elite to the lack of drive in academic excellence.
“Besides being unable to leverage favourable factors, the CET has not been able to progress much in terms of quality. In the case of self-financing colleges, while most had scant regard to improving academic standards, the few good ones have not been able to attract the best among students,” Mr. Menon said.