Nagpur: The recently released National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF-2023) has brought forth disappointing news for institutes in Vidarbha, as several prominent ones witnessed a decline in their overall rankings. Notable institutions like Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Ramdeobaba College of Engineering and Management (RCOEM), GH Raisoni College of Engineering (GHRCE), and Institute of Management Technology (IMT) were among those affected.
In a continued setback for Nagpur University (NU), the institution maintained its unfortunate record of not securing a position among the top 200 educational institutions in India. Despite celebrating its centenary year, NU has consistently fallen short of breaking into the prestigious top 200 since the inception of NIRF rankings. Conversely, Mumbai and Pune universities managed to secure positions within the top 100, although they too experienced a decline in rankings this year.
NU’s nationwide university ranking stands between 151 and 200, further highlighting its struggle to reach the upper echelons of Indian education. Other universities in Vidarbha, namely Amravati University, Gondwana University, and Maharashtra Animal Sciences and Fisheries University (MAFSU), also failed to secure a place in the top 200.
The disappointing performance extended to colleges affiliated with NU, such as Yashwantrao Chavan College of Engineering (YCCE) and conducted institutions like Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (LIT). Both institutions failed to secure positions in the top 200 engineering colleges. Last year, YCCE was ranked at 163, while LIT fell within the range of 251 to 300.
Fortunately, a few institutions from Vidarbha managed to salvage the region’s reputation. Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (DMIHER) in Wardha showcased improvement, climbing from 92nd to 75th place in the overall rankings. It also jumped 15 places in the university rankings, securing the 39th spot compared to 54th last year. However, it slipped one place to 25th in the medical category and six places in the dental category.
Another positive development came from the Government Institute of Science, which entered the top 100 for the first time and secured the 83rd rank. Last year, it fell within the bracket of 101 to 150. Kumbhalkar College of Social Work in Wardha made its debut in the category, featuring among the 101-150 colleges. Shivaji Science College from Amravati was the sole representative from the city in the top 150-200 ranking.
However, the downward trend persisted for VNIT, as it experienced a slide in the overall rankings, falling 14 places to the 82nd position. In 2021, it held the 54th rank. The engineering college rankings also saw a decline for VNIT, now placed at 41 compared to 32 last year. RCOEM and GHRCE, ranked 146 and 163 respectively last year, now find themselves in the 151-200 bracket.
IIM Nagpur managed to maintain its 43rd rank from last year, while IMT slipped into the 101-125 range from its previous position at 95. The Government Dental College experienced a decline, moving from 9th to 15th place in its category. Additionally, the NU Department of Pharmacy slipped from 42 to 51 in the rankings.