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Six of seven older Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), have slipped in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World Asian Universities Ranking for 2013.
IIT-Bombay led the fall, dropping five notches at 39th position against 34th last year. While IIT-Delhi fell two places to secure 38th position against 36th last year, IIT-Madras fell four positions to 49 against 45 last year.
IITs in Kanpur and Kharagpur fell four and two places to 51 and 58, respectively. While IIT-Roorkee fell a place to 66, IIT-Guwahati held its 89 position from last year. University of Delhi also figures in the list at the 78th position, as in 2012. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology tops the Asian rankings, followed by a number of Chinese, Japanese and Korean institutions.
The IITs also slipped in world's top-200 university rankings. IIT-Delhi slipped 10 notches to 222, down from 212 last year. US-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology topped the list with Harvard University securing second position, pushing Cambridge University to third.
The annual ranking, with 800-strong education institutions, includes 11 Indian institutions, with IIT-Bombay at 233, IIT-Kanpur at 295, IIT-Madras at 313 and IIT-Kharagpur at 346.
“The stable performance of Indian institutions is a reflection on the country's efforts to internationalise its higher education system. However, it is clear that more efforts are needed in the area if the country's institutions wish to feature more prominently at the top of global rankings,” said Ben Sowter, head of research at QS.
IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi directors could not be reached despite repeated attempts.
These annual rankings consider the subject range, research results and academic reputation offered by 3,000 institutions internationally.
“In a country where education is prized above all matters and competition for a coveted place at one of the country's top institutions is high, students need a broader comparison of domestic universities. QS is currently working closely with Indian institutions in a pilot-ranking project for the BRICS nations, due to be launched later this year.”
In 2009, QS introduced a new university ranking, focusing exclusively on universities in Asia, the world’s biggest and most-populous continent.
Move to let foreign varsities open India campuses
The ministry of human resource development has sent proposals to the department of industrial policy and promotion and the department of economic affairs to permit foreign universities to open campuses in the country under the Companies Act. These departments have supported the proposal.
