At 32, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, fares better
Deepankar Sharda
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 12
Considering the latest National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)-2024, the private universities situated in the periphery of the City Beautiful are turning out to be the tough competitors for Panjab University (PU).
While the PU slipped to 60th overall rank in the NIRF rankings this year, Chandigarh University (CU), Gharuan, jumped to attain the 32nd spot with a score of 58.30 points, 5.31 points better than the PU. In the 2023 NIRF rankings, the CU was trailing the PU by one rank and was placed 45th with 53.31 points. In the ‘university’ category,
while the CU has been ranked 20th, the PU trails at 38th position. Chitkara University also featured among the top-100 by attaining 90th position with 46.67 points.
In 'Engineering', while the PU's University Institute of Engineering & Technology (UIET) failed to find a mention in the rankings, the CU was placed 32nd with 59.82 points and Chitkara 94th with 44.82 points. Thapar University, Patiala, attained 20th rank with 60.35 points. In the last ranking, the CU was ranked 38th followed by Thapar University at 20th and Chitkara at 92nd.
The PU trailed in 'Management' by attaining 92nd position, whereas the CU grabbed the 36th spot and Chitkara University is placed 52nd. The PU was better in 'Pharmacy' and ranked 7th followed by Chitkara University 19th, the CU 20th and the Chandigarh College of Pharmacy 66th.
"The private universities around the PU are providing better facilities and very aggressively working on research and perception. This has to be a wakeup call for the PU, which is run by a governing body and has support of the government," said a faculty member of PU.
"Ever since the NIRF Rankings was launched in 2016, the performance of Indian universities and institutions in global rankings has improved significantly. Our rank improved from 27th in 2023 to 20th this year in the 'University' category. With this, the CU has become the youngest university to reach the league of top 20 universities in the country," said CU Chancellor, Satnam Singh Sandhu.
"Chitkara University is performing fairly well in the NIRF rankings. The university is among the top 101-150 ranking institutions, and among the top-90 in the 'University' category. It is placed 94th in 'Engineering', 54the in 'Management', 19th in 'Pharmacy', 35th in 'Architecture' and among top 11-50 institutions in 'Innovation'," said Dr Madhu Chitkara, Pro Chancellor, Chitkara University.
IISER improves performance
The Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER), Mohali, also featured among the top-100 institutions. Last year, IISER was ranked 50th under ‘research’ category, while this year it jumped to the 49th spot with a score of 44.09 points. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, fell three ranks. It attained ninth rank with a score of 70.86 points, while last year it was placed sixth with 73.58 points.
