The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai has achieved a significant milestone by securing its highest-ever ranking and entering the list of top 150 universities in the world, according to the latest QS World University Ranking. This achievement marks the first time in eight years that an Indian higher education institution has made it to the top 150 list, showcasing the growing recognition of Indian universities on the global stage. Previously, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore held the highest rank for an Indian institution at 147 in 2016.
IIT Bombay’s Impressive Leap and IISc’s Decline:
IIT Bombay has demonstrated remarkable progress by climbing 23 positions and securing the 149th rank globally in this year’s rankings. However, there have been significant fluctuations in the rankings, with IISc experiencing a decline of 70 positions, now ranked at 225. It currently stands as the third-highest ranked Indian institution, compared to being the top-ranked Indian institution last year. Similarly, other prestigious Indian institutions like IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Madras also witnessed a decline in their rankings.
Factors Influencing Rankings:
The ranking agency, QS Quacquarelli Symonds, based in the UK, has attributed these fluctuations partly to a revision of the assessment parameters this year. The introduction of new indicators, including sustainability, employment outcomes, and international research network, with a weightage of 5% each, necessitated adjustments in the importance assigned to other parameters. The weightage given to academic reputation was lowered from 40% to 30%, the emphasis on faculty-student ratio was decreased from 15% to 10%, and the significance attributed to employer reputation was increased from 10% to 15%.
The decrease in emphasis on the faculty-student ratio has had a negative impact on research-focused institutions like IISc, which typically have a lower teaching load compared to the IITs. While IISc previously performed well on the faculty-student ratio indicator, its ranking was affected due to the decreased weightage. However, it’s important to note that according to a QS spokesperson, the decline in rankings for IISc was influenced by various other indicators, such as global engagement, citations per faculty, and employer reputation.
IIT Bombay’s Achievements in Employment Reputation and Research Impact:
IIT Bombay has demonstrated excellence in the parameters of employment reputation and citation per faculty. Notably, there has been a significant improvement in citation per faculty, with the score rising from 55.1 last year to an impressive 73.1 this year. Over the past five years, the institute has also witnessed progress in its employer reputation ranking and citations per faculty rank.
According to Subhasis Chaudhuri, the director of IIT Bombay, the institute’s research productivity received a boost during the pandemic lockdown. This resulted in numerous research papers published in high-impact journals, increased citations, and subsequently contributed to the improved ranking.
Global Representation and Leading Universities:
In this year’s rankings, India has a total of 45 universities listed, making it the seventh most represented country globally and the third in Asia. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States secured the top position in the World University Ranking for the twelfth consecutive year, followed closely by Cambridge University and Oxford University in the United Kingdom. The National University of Singapore (NUS) became the first Asian university to enter the top 10, moving up three positions from the previous year.
While American universities dominated the top 20, three Australian universities made significant gains. ETH Zurich retained its title as the best university in Europe for the sixteenth consecutive year.
The achievements of IIT Bombay in securing a position among the top 150 global universities are a testament to India’s growing influence in higher education and research. It highlights the dedication, efforts, and commitment of the institution, its faculty, and students in striving for academic excellence on a global scale. With continued focus on research, innovation, and collaboration, Indian institutions are poised to further enhance their rankings and make significant contributions to the global academic landscape.
