The Times Higher Education has agreed to draw up an India specific indicator that would act as a parameter for global education stakeholders and international students to judge Indian educational institutions.
International rankings are perceived to be of significance in enhancing global mobility of students and teachers and in attracting funding. Owing to this perceived significance, a Committee, constituted by the Standing Council of IITs, has held meetings with the THE Ranking Agency and the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Ranking Agency on the matter of ranking of IITs. The THE Ranking Agency has also held a workshop in May, 2013 wherein Universities and Technical Institutions, including IITs and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) were invited.
The Government is continuously striving to improve the quality of higher education in the country by legislative initiatives as well as through schemes and programmes. The National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2010, which aims to make accreditation mandatory for all higher educational institutions in order to ensure an independent quality assurance mechanism, has been introduced in Parliament on 3rd May, 2010.
To facilitate dedicated Universities as hubs for research ecosystems to develop as clusters of education, research and innovation and to promote innovation in learning and design, development and delivery of solutions, the Universities for Research and Innovation Bill, 2012 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha on 21st May, 2012. Cluster innovation centres and Design Innovation Centers have also been initiated in the University system to promote interdisciplinary research and innovation.
The Human Resources Development Ministry had asked all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and Central Universities to appoint a nodal person to coordinate with Times Higher Education (THE) to develop India specific parameters.
Minister of State for Human Resources Development Dr. Shashi Tharoor gave this information in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.