Process of IoE to be mapped with indicators of THE/QS rankings: Education minister

The progress of Institutions of Eminence (IoE) will be mapped with indicators of renowned international rankings QS and Times Higher Education, and an incentive mechanism will be developed for those institutes which are performing well, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said on Monday.

He made the comments at a review meeting of the IOEs chaired by him along with Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre.

“Various topics were discussed during the meeting like: What measures can be taken to accelerate the recruitment of #international faculty. The progress of IoEs shall be mapped with the indicators of THE/QS World University Rankings and international standards,” Nishank tweeted.

“An incentive mechanism for institutions shall be developed to reward the IoEs that are doing well. An integrated portal containing world-class #research papers from all HEIs shall be made,” he further said.

The minister said that numerous measures shall be taken to engineer a better perception of IoEs. “Officials were directed to develop a detailed strategy (with both qualitative and quantitative parameters) for brand building of the institutes. NEP recommendations such as Multiple Entry-Exit, Online Degrees, Multidisciplinary, Internationalization etc. shall be leveraged to ensure the success of IoEs,” he said.

According to officials, the institutions have been asked to put more efforts to represent India in a better way in global rankings . “The minister pointed out in the meeting that institutions should work on the internationalization of our education and should promote multidisciplinary streams in their institutes as per the vision of NEP,” a senior official said.

The Education Ministry had launched the IoE scheme in 2018 as per which 20 institutions were to be selected — 10 public and 10 private — that will enjoy complete academic and administrative autonomy.

In the first lot, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay and the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) were awarded the status in the public sector, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education and BITS Pilani in the private sector, while the Jio Institute by Reliance Foundation was given the tag in Greenfield category.

Last september, five public institutions including Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, University of Hyderabad, IIT-Madras and IIT-Kharagpur, were granted the eminent status.

A Letter of Intent for granting the IoE status was also issued to five private universities — Amrita Vidyapeetham and Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu, Odhisha’s Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Jamia Hamdard University in Delhi and Satya Bharti Foundation’s Bharti Instiute in Mohali.

While the government will provide funding upto Rs 1,000 crore to public institutions with IoE tag, in case of the private institutions proposed as Institutions of Eminence, there will be no financial support. But they will be entitled to more autonomy as a special category Deemed University. The IoEs will also not be subjected to inspection by the UGC.