QS World Universities Rankings helped IISc, IIT Delhi and Mumbai bag IoE status

NEW DELHI, JULY 12: The recent QS World University Rankings played a key role in helping the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, Indian Institute of Technology(IIT), Mumbai and IIT Delhi get the Institutions of Eminence (IoE) status. The three institutions were among the eight public funded institutions recommended for the IoE status by the Expert Committee to the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The UGC gave preference to the above three institutions as their ranking at the global level was better than the other five institutions. In the QS World University Rankings 2018, IIT Delhi was ranked 172, IIT Bombay was at 179 and IISc Bangalore was ranked 190.

The other five institutions include the IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, University of Delhi, Jadavpur University and Anna University. However, UGC has said that these institutions recommended by the EEC for granting IoE status shall be considered for the status at a ‘later stage’.

UGC has declared the name of only three public universities as it had to announce an equal number of public and private institutions for the IoE status. The UGC notification says, “Further, keeping in view the principle of equal weightage for both Private and Public Institutions, out of the Eight Public Institutions recommended by the EEC, the Commission has recommended IISc, IIT Delhi and IIT Mumbai.”

The three private institutions are Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Manipal Academy of Higher Education and Jio Institute (Reliance foundation Institution of Education and Research).

UGC notification reads, “The Commission resolved further that the EEC may be requested to continue its process of identification of suitable institutions for declaration as IoEs, till all the 20 institutions are identified.”