Indian Institute of Science Faces Setback in QS World University Rankings

In the latest release of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) finds itself grappling with significant declines across various programs compared to the previous year's rankings. Despite being India's premier Institute of Eminence (IoE), the institution witnessed notable drops in key disciplines.

The QS report, unveiled on Wednesday, revealed a concerning trend for the IISc, with its chemistry program plummeting 31 places to 108th from its previous 77th position. Similarly, the physics and astronomy program slid to 134th, down from 110th, while mathematics followed suit with an 18-spot drop, settling at 134th compared to its 116th position last year.

Out of the 18 programs represented from the IISc, only three managed to improve their standings, while a staggering 11 programs experienced declines. QS officials, however, caution against interpreting these shifts as indicative of a decline in academic prowess. They attribute the drop in rankings primarily to a decrease in the institution's H-index, a measure of research productivity and impact.

According to QS, these fluctuations reflect the dynamic nature of global education, where other institutions may be advancing at a faster pace in specific metrics. The decline is attributed mainly to a dip in research indicators such as Citations per Paper, H-Index, and International Research Network.

Efforts to obtain a response from the IISc regarding these developments remained unanswered.

Meanwhile, the broader picture of the QS rankings for Indian universities showcases a mixed bag of outcomes. Despite the setbacks faced by the IISc, overall rankings depict a positive trend, with many institutions either improving their standings or maintaining stability compared to the previous year.

A notable example is the University of Delhi, which saw improvements in 12 subjects out of the 30 it was ranked in, including anthropology, developmental studies, and environmental sciences.

On the other hand, institutions like IIT Bombay showcased significant strides, with its chemistry program breaking into the global top-100, climbing to the 94th spot from its previous 116th position. IIT Bombay also demonstrated improvement across 17 out of its 28 entries this year, with programs like chemical engineering and mineral and mining engineering making notable gains in global rankings.

Several other Indian universities, including IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Delhi, also featured prominently in this edition of the rankings, underscoring India's growing presence in global higher education.

Among newer entrants, Jawaharlal Nehru University's development studies program emerged as the highest-ranked in India, while O P Jindal Global University made significant strides, ascending to the 74th position globally in law.

Despite the setbacks witnessed by the IISc, the broader landscape of Indian higher education reflects a promising trajectory, marked by both steady improvements and notable achievements on the global stage.