The EducationWorld Grand Jury India Higher Education Rankings were introduced in 2019 to recognise and acknowledge low-profile, media shy higher education institutions (HEIs) implementing best practices. Juries comprising knowledgeable educationists were constituted to evaluate low-profile and newly promoted private HEIs deserving recognition. To select progressive higher education institutions across the country, we invited nominations from educationists, individuals and HEIs themselves supported by evidence of best practices in 12 categories — extraordinary leadership, campus design excellence, quality of campus life, contemporary IT-enabled learning, student diversity, sports and co-curricular education, promising future ready universities, professional education, vocational and skills education and best academia-industry alliance. Nominations were received from more than 500 private and government higher education institutions countrywide. To assess the evidence and rank nominated institutions in each category, this year’s Grand Jury comprising eminent educationists Deepakkumar Mukadam, chancellor’s nominee on the management council of University of Mumbai and founder, Academistan, an online faculty networking platform, Dr. Hiren Ghelani, IT entrepreneur (Softwisdom Infoway) and board of study member, Rajkot University and Dr. A.S. Seetharamu, former professor of education at the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bangalore was constituted. The league tables of the EW Grand Jury India Higher Education Rankings 2021-22 are set out below. New-age study programmes leader Top 10 HEIs providing contemporary industry-aligned study programmes. “We are delighted to learn that NKC is ranked #1 in this category by your knowledgeable jury. This award is the outcome of our faculty and students always being open to innovation and experimentation, and we routinely introduce new study programmes. For instance, during the past decade we have introduced BBA degree programmes in international martial arts, marketing management, a B.Sc programme in computer science with specialisation in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud technology and information security plus a new M.Sc in interior design, tourism & travel management. These new-age industry demand-linked study programmes have been enthusiastically welcomed by students and we have had great success in placing our graduates in top corporates such as Wipro, Infosys, Sutherland, etc” — Dr. Ancy Jose (centre left), principal, Nagindas Khandwala College (Autonomous), Mumbai (estb.1983), which currently has an enrolment of 4,659 students and 150 faculty. Best for academy-industry alliances Institutions pursuing alliances and collaborations to bridge the academia-industry gap and enhance graduate employability. “It’s not so well-known that RNTU, Bhopal is India’s first skill-based university which has deep engagement with the National Skill Development Corporation and various Sector Skills Councils such as BFSI, ASCI, ASDC, and GJSCI to provide short-term certificate courses in auto components, construction materials, healthcare, and several other business verticals. Skilled graduates are in short supply across the country. Therefore, our Industry Academy Collaboration Centre has established linkages with the country’s most respected companies including Bosch, Tata Motors, Schneider, and Daikin etc, who highly value and welcome our graduates. Moreover, RNTU is the only private university in Madhya Pradesh granted permission by Niti Aayog to establish an Atal Incubation Centre. Thus far, we have incubated 45 startups” — Dr. Bramh Prakash Pethiya,…
