Institutes of Eminence: Expert committee points to lack of eminence

NEW DELHI: While the empowered expert committee (EEC) has picked six institutes as Institutes of Eminence (IoE), in its report it has highlighted a range of issues which account for the general lack of eminence in the highereducation system.

While IISC Bangalore; Bombay, Delhi, Kharagpur and Madras IITs; Delhi University; Jadavpur University and Anna University qualified in public category, BITS Pilani, Manipal Academy and Jio Institute were the only EEC picks in the private category. Ultimately, the HRD ministry decided to pick only six institutes — three each in public and private categories — to ensure an ‘equal’ treatment.

EEC notes that only 40 applications were received in the private category — 11 for greenfield ones and 29 from existing institutes — and 74 in public category. Most of these 29 institutes have existed for less than 20 years and are “yet to find their feet”. Only two of them reported an enrolment of 3,000 students and for them to be within 500 in world ranking in the next 10 years is “a tall order”, the EEC report says.



The report notes the lack of “financial sustainability” in private institutions, especially those that are younger and with smaller alumni base. The lack of independent governance structures in younger private institutes along and excessive reliance on fee are worrying, says the report. Highlighting faculty vacancies, EEC said finances are holding back hiring, especially in state-controlled universities.

Ahmedabad and Calcutta IIMs, ICAR Delhi, Punjab Agricultural University, Indian Statistical Institute Kolkata, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Institute of Chemical Technology, all found special mention in the report but failed to fit into the framework.

The report says many ‘specialised institutions’ may be attracted to the IoE status only for the financial incentives involved. EEC has suggested that management institutes may be ranked separately. It recommended greater flexibility and funds for the Gandhigram Rural institute of Higher Education in Tamil Nadu and the Indian Institute of Public Health and Indian Institute of Health Settlement, Bangalore.