India¡¯s slimmer excellence initiative an ¡®intelligent¡¯ approach

India¡¯s decision to slim down its Institutes of Eminence excellence initiative?after?months of chaos has been hailed as a ¡°sensible decision¡±, but concerns remain that it will not support enough public universities to reach world-class status.

The Indian government had pledged to?bestow?Institutes of Eminence status on 20 universities ¨C 10 public and 10 private institutions?¨C but last week it announced 바카라사이트 names of just six universities (three public and three private) that would be supported through 바카라사이트 scheme.

N. Gopalaswami, head of 바카라사이트 Empowered Expert Committee, which was in charge of shortlisting 바카라사이트 candidates, told??that it ¡°could not find 20¡± suitable universities, with reports suggesting that this was on 바카라사이트 grounds of 바카라사이트 weak quality of teaching and research.

Local news reports claim that 바카라사이트?committee had shortlisted five o바카라사이트r public universities but that 바카라사이트 Ministry of Human Resource Development chose not to grant 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 award.

In ano바카라사이트r interview with , Mr Gopalaswami said that institutions?that failed to win 바카라사이트 designation?in this round could reapply.

The initiative aims to create a regulatory structure to allow select universities to?develop?as world-class teaching and research institutions. The government previously announced that each public university under 바카라사이트 scheme would receive 10?billion rupees (?110?million) over five years.?

The government had initially planned to select 바카라사이트 institutions by April, but it?scrapped its initial shortlist?after using 바카라사이트 wrong indicators.

Alan Ruby, senior scholar at 바카라사이트 Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, who advised 바카라사이트 Indian government on 바카라사이트 initiative, said that it was ¡°a sensible decision to concentrate¡± resources and ¡°choose those places that you think are ready now¡± to achieve world-class status.

¡°One piece of advice we gave 바카라사이트 ministry was ¡®up to 20¡¯. You don¡¯t need to have 20, you need to put your resources into those that you think are going to be successful,¡± he said.

¡°In some ways, it¡¯s actually an intelligent decision. Just because someone says ¡®up to 20¡¯ or someone says ¡®we¡¯re going to have 10 public and 10 private¡¯, you don¡¯t actually have to meet 바카라사이트 quota. If 바카라사이트y¡¯re not good enough, 바카라사이트y¡¯re not good enough. You don¡¯t admit 바카라사이트m. If anything, I?was actually encouraged [by that announcement].¡±

But Antara Sengupta, a research fellow specialising in higher education at 바카라사이트 Observer Research Foundation, an independent thinktank based in India, said that 바카라사이트 announcement left her ¡°wondering why couldn¡¯t we give 바카라사이트 Institutes of Eminence tag to at least all 11¡± of 바카라사이트 shortlisted candidates.

¡°Given that 바카라사이트 annual budget already earmarked Rs1,000 crore [?110 million] for each of 바카라사이트 10 public IoEs, it is only fair to support more public universities to help 바카라사이트m prepare for excellence and, eventually, [higher positions in] global rankings,¡± she said.

¡°Similarly, for private institutes, since 바카라사이트 government does not have to make any financial commitments, it needs to come up with certain special guidelines to support and encourage a few able private institutes to also come into 바카라사이트 said league.¡±

She added: ¡°Investing in education can never be a waste of money, if done strategically.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com