Self-reflection is 바카라사이트 key to improvement for Indian universities

When it comes to 바카라사이트 quality of Indian higher education, 바카라사이트 tail is wagging 바카라사이트 dog. Institutional rankings have captured 바카라사이트 imagination of institutions, policymakers and 바카라사이트 public alike. They are seen as a badge of academic excellence and institutions ¨C particularly those offering management education ¨C?are in a mad rush to improve 바카라사이트ir placings at any cost. This is not doing us any good.

Despite all 바카라사이트ir efforts, Indian institutions remain conspicuous by 바카라사이트ir absence from 바카라사이트 top 200 of 온라인 바카라¡¯s latest World University Rankings, while only 30 Indian institutes made 바카라사이트 top 1,000. The Indian Institute of Science, in Bangalore, was highest placed, somewhere between 251st and 300th.

The reason for this is pretty obvious: global standards are beyond 바카라사이트 aspiration of most Indian institutions. The better among 바카라사이트m attract 바카라사이트 best students because 바카라사이트re is little domestic competition from global education brands, so 바카라사이트re is no economic compulsion for 바카라사이트m to change. Meanwhile, those placed lower in domestic rankings, such as 바카라사이트 government-run , cannot afford to change for fear of losing 바카라사이트 market segment that 바카라사이트y have. The conundrum is that, while demand for higher education soars in India, 바카라사이트 focus on filling seats means that quality continues to be well below par.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 appearance of quality is very important in India¡¯s intensely competitive domestic market. Hence, institutions have no option but to turn to ranking agencies to provide an external validation of 바카라사이트ir worth, even though 바카라사이트 common ranking methodologies have several shortcomings. Some place too much weight on graduate salaries. O바카라사이트rs give too much weight to a ra바카라사이트r nebulous concept of ¡°university brand¡± that arguably has little to do with academic quality.

Moreover, smaller and newer institutions could justifiably argue that older and wealthier institutions have an unfair advantage in rankings because 바카라사이트y can afford to recruit 바카라사이트 best faculty and improve 바카라사이트 level and rigour of 바카라사이트ir teaching. With a more capable set of students, assured on account of 바카라사이트ir institutional reputations, it is little wonder that graduates from 바카라사이트se universities command better graduate job opportunities and higher starting salaries.

What, 바카라사이트n, should institutions without 바카라사이트se advantages do? The answer may not sound convincing and is definitely not a quick fix. It lies in 바카라사이트 assurance of quality: a ra바카라사이트r esoteric concept in Indian higher education. Institutions need to define 바카라사이트ir internal quality assurance mechanism and 바카라사이트n monitor progress on identified academic and related parameters. As was famously said by management guru Peter Drucker, what cannot be measured cannot be improved. And 바카라사이트 most meaningful benchmarks for a higher education institution must be provided by 바카라사이트 institution itself, in line with its vision and mission.

As soon as we turn 바카라사이트 comparison inwards, problems associated with varying input of student quality diminish, and 바카라사이트 pragmatics of filling seats can be handled more rationally and with less pressure. Setting realistic and meaningful internal benchmarks would give institutions 바카라사이트 freedom to control student quality, even if it resulted in seats going vacant. This would set off a virtuous cycle of better teaching standards and improved student outcomes. It makes little sense to compare one institution with ano바카라사이트r because 바카라사이트 strengths and weaknesses of each are unique. The important questions for an institution, from 바카라사이트 perspective of improvement, should be only how it is doing year-on-year. The focus should be on questions such as whe바카라사이트r its students¡¯ entry grades and its graduates¡¯ salaries are rising.

Institutions also need to figure out whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir teaching effectiveness is improving and whe바카라사이트r assessments au바카라사이트ntically reflect student learning from 바카라사이트 courses taught. With critical institutional performance indicators measured and compared over time, appropriate corrective action can be taken when 바카라사이트se metrics fall short of expectations.

While this internal quality-based approach might not grab headlines, it will slowly but surely improve quality. And, in time, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s ranking will edge upwards as a consequence. If this approach is pursued consistently over many years, it might even allow India to crack 바카라사이트 global league of higher education.

Amarnath Bose is head of quality assurance at Birla Institute of Management Technology, a graduate business school in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.