The QS University Rankings: Asia - 2016 were announced recently. The top ten universities in the list are as follows:
- National University of Singapore – NUS
- The University of Hong Kong
- Nanyang Technological University, Singapore – NTU
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Tsinghua University
- KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
- City University of Hong Kong
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong – CHUK
- Peking University
- Seoul National University
The rankings look at factors ranging from quality of teaching, research facilities, academic qualifications of lecturers, infrastructure, employability of graduates, student support and guidance for international students.
It is a worrying factor that no Indian institution makes it even to the top 25 universities in the world. A matter of shame for India is the cradle of the university education system. Thousands of years ago, students from around the world would travel across mountains and the seas to study in renowned universities like Nalanda and Taxila. Definitely a worrying trend, that despite securing independence in 1947, we still do not have a university that ranks among the world’s top 10, let alone the world, even in Asia we are dismal.
The rankings of Indian institutions featured in the list are as follows:
- Indian Institute of Science or IISc in Bangalore – 33
- IIT Bombay - 35
- IIT Delhi - 36
- IIT Madras - 43
- IIT Kanpur - 48
- IIT Kharagpur - 51
Despite all the hype and hoopla surrounding the IITs and the IIMs; the long regimented application process and the quota-based system for enrolments that over-rides true merit is the bane of our educational system. No wonder that students who can afford the fees; continue to choose to go abroad for higher studies.