Why in news
The 2024 rankings of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) show some interesting trends in the standing of Indian universities compared to 2023
The fact that private universities are performing much better than public ones in the NIRF raises questions about whether the rankings are being gamed
Private Universities' Improvement
Private universities have shown a notable improvement in the NIRF 2024 rankings, with 76% of those that experienced ranking changes seeing better positions.
Public Universities' Decline
Public universities have generally seen a decline, with 61% of those that experienced ranking changes falling in the rankings.
Prominent public institutions like IISERs and NITs have faced significant setbacks.
Research Metrics Impact
Private universities that improved their rankings excelled in research metrics, such as the number of publications and citations.
However, this has raised concerns about potential manipulation of these metrics.
Public institutions, despite their status and focus on research quality, have struggled in rankings due to poor performance in research metrics.
Their emphasis on quality research over quantity may be affecting their rankings negatively
Concerns About Ranking Manipulation
The rise in publications by private universities, sometimes suspected of gaming citations, contrasts with the modest gains in top public institutions, pointing to possible manipulation and its impact on the accuracy of the rankings
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