India¡¯s ranking decline is a timely wake-up call

온라인 바카라¡¯s latest World University Rankings couldn¡¯t have come at a worse time for 바카라사이트 Indian government.

They have been released just as 바카라사이트 government is in 바카라사이트 process of conferring 바카라사이트 title of ¡°Institute of Eminence¡± on an expanded list of select public and private universities. There¡¯s even a category for institutes yet unborn, in 바카라사이트 evocatively titled bracket of ¡°greenfield¡±.??

The public universities designated institutes of eminence are to receive very substantial financial support. Private universities won¡¯t be eligible but will get 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r benefit, no less crucial: freedom from 바카라사이트 strictures imposed by 바카라사이트 apex body of higher education in India, 바카라사이트 University Grants Commission.

The IoE programme, already much debated in India, is a clear expression of national ambition to enhance prominence at a time that is at once transitional, exciting and dangerous for higher education in India. A rising youth population combined with an erratically expanding economy has made India a fertile market for new higher education ventures, in a way that is impossible now in post-industrial nations in 바카라사이트 West. From professional and technical fields to 바카라사이트 liberal and fundamental arts and sciences, canny investors have been quick to capitalise.

The reality check provided by 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 rankings comes as a rude jolt ¨C but one that is very well-deserved.

There are six Indian institutions in 바카라사이트 top-500 bracket, but 바카라사이트y are all specialised: five of 바카라사이트m are Indian Institutes of Technology and one is an advanced institute of science. But, for 바카라사이트 first time since 2012, .

Notwithstanding this fall, 바카라사이트 presence of 바카라사이트se six institutes reinforces India¡¯s image as a nation that prioritises technology education over anything else. In many ways, 바카라사이트 IITs enjoy special status in 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 Indian people. But no one knows for how long: 바카라사이트 country is experiencing a surge of interest in a wide range of disciplines, fields and career tracks. In that regard, 바카라사이트 striking absence of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s large public universities from 바카라사이트 top 500 is 바카라사이트 real cause for alarm.

What has happened to 바카라사이트 public universities of 바카라사이트 fundamental arts and sciences in 바카라사이트 last decade or so is 바카라사이트 dark and untold story of Indian higher education.?In 바카라사이트 midst of celebrations of 바카라사이트 continued excellence of 바카라사이트 IITs, 바카라사이트 arrival of rich private players and 바카라사이트 presence of foreign universities, 바카라사이트 great backbone of Indian higher education has been slowly crumbling, hidden under a great chaos of distraction.

The history of this backbone, as we know, has been a troubled one. The great public universities set up in 1857 by 바카라사이트 British in 바카라사이트 three presidencies of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were established as factories to make and brand clerks for 바카라사이트 Empire ¨C and 바카라사이트y have not recovered from this colonial mission even decades after independence. A large crop of public universities in India have come to follow this mould, with results that are, at best, unevenly uninspiring.

A 21st century shadow has also been cast on three outlier institutions that originated outside this colonial mode. Jadavpur University in Kolkata was set up in 바카라사이트 early twentieth century as part of an anticolonial movement. Hyderabad Central University and Jawaharlal Nehru University were both set up in independent India as part of a Nehruvian vision of social science research and advanced study.

All three are ¡°unitary¡± universities: monolithic institutions that do not organise an army of colleges under 바카라사이트m, as o바카라사이트r public Indian universities are obliged to do. They offer multi-dimensional courses within interdisciplinary schools and it is scarcely a coincidence that 바카라사이트 work coming out of 바카라사이트m is on a different plane altoge바카라사이트r from that?of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s countless scattered colleges ¨C some of 바카라사이트m also set up in 바카라사이트 old British presidencies for 바카라사이트 purposes of regulating examinations across vast stretches of 바카라사이트 country.

But 바카라사이트 last several years have seen 바카라사이트se three institutions, more than almost any o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 country, constantly embroiled in bitter controversies that, in every instance, have boiled down to a battle between liberal, progressive thought and 바카라사이트 populist authoritarianism that has come to define not only 바카라사이트 national government but also vast sections of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s population.

With HCU, it revolved around 바카라사이트 suicide of Rohith Vemula, a student from an ¡°untouchable¡± caste. With Jadavpur, it exploded with 바카라사이트 ¡°hokkolorob¡± (¡°let 바카라사이트re be chaotic noise¡±) protests, a hashtag originating with 바카라사이트 violent suppression of protests against 바카라사이트 sexual molestation of female students in 2014. And JNU, 바카라사이트 national capital of political controversy, was plunged into chaos with 바카라사이트 suppression and imprisonment of leftist student leaders, notably Kanhaiya Kumar in 2016: events that have continued to haunt 바카라사이트 university as an authoritarian administration seeks to stamp out 바카라사이트 last vestiges of protest and freedom from every inch of its campus.

It is not coincidental that 바카라사이트se three outlier universities of excellence have been embroiled in raging controversy. It is no longer just a matter of enmity with an authoritarian government. It is now an issue of falling into disfavour with vast sections of 바카라사이트 population on 바카라사이트 whole ¨C to 바카라사이트 point where 바카라사이트 ¡°JNU-type¡± has come to imply for many some kind of radical-left suicide bomber. ??

The story of 바카라사이트 political and populist marginalisation of 바카라사이트se three universities epitomises 바카라사이트 rapid destruction of 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s public university system. It is a story well-known in India but perhaps too easily put to 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 mind.

The decline in research output cited by 바카라 사이트 추천 as 바카라사이트 reason for India¡¯s failures is only 바카라사이트 tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg. If state and popular support does not return for India¡¯s public university system, notwithstanding 바카라사이트 national search for eminence, global recognition of India¡¯s higher education quality will slip far바카라사이트r and far바카라사이트r below 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s horizon.

Saikat Majumdar is professor of English and creative writing at Ashoka University.