The rank ascertained with everything glorifies the prestige of that thing. Stars on digital platforms, the number of likes on social media posts, brands of some objects etc. Akin to these educational institutions are best known for their position in the NIRF ranking [National Institutional Ranking Framework]. This ranking methodology is introduced by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. To categorise the institutions, the ministry has unfolded 11 major categories: Colleges, Universities, Engineering, Architecture, Dental, Medical, Law, Pharmacy, Management, etc. While from this categorisation, the dental category was incorporated in the year 2020. This ranking methodology has left tremendous impacts through NIRF’s shades on youth mindset.
The crowning of ranking is driven by certain factors such as teaching, learning which act as the fundamental activities., then comes efficacy in the professional structure of the institution, the outcome of teaching patterns, exclusivity present in the institution, the perception, or the outlook that the institution carries. The composition of these factors determines the NIRF Ranking of an institution. The credibility of these rankings is aligned with that of the Ministry of Education. The aura of healthy competition gets established under the race commenced by NIRF Rankings. At the time of the enrolment process, students get the road map through these rankings for selecting the suitable institution for them. NIRF’sshades on youth mindset are mirrored through the pepped-up reactions of the students of winning institutions at the time of results.
The radiations of NIRF rankings have made this racing robust not merely among the institutions but also among their staff, students, etc. But the competition has not arrived up to the brim. This spewed up the unhealthy atmosphere in the education field which is supposed to be the strongest. The rays of superiority and inferiority have overhauled the students. The outcomes of this have stimulated inferiority among the students hailing from low-ranked institutions. The ‘hype culture’ has also been followed by the rankings as certain institutions have been declared buoyant based on their mouth-to-mouth hype. With the multiple merits affixed with rankings pertaining to pace up the reforms in the institutions as everyone aims to attain a decent rank, reaping lessons from one another etc. But the credibility of rankings is alive till the time the ministries helming them are alive.
NIRF’s shades on youth mindset have levelled up certain parameters for deciding the rank. While with the passage of time, there is always a need for reforms to cope with the demands of time. Bibliometrics led an upper hand over the decision of rankings which has manifested to us the pivotal flaw. The constant parameters every year have glued the institutions in a non-creative framework. The creative edge is getting undermined heavily.
NIRF’s shades on youth mindset are fine to prevail but if these shades will override the merits, then the repercussions of it will rupture the education system. However, the back of the eminent Ministry of Education is capacious to guard the ranking pattern from flaws. Nevertheless, the array of suggestions from the common men will unfurl fruitful reforms. Paving the way for the diversification of institutions making them culture-friendly, valorising education by stressing on-ground learning, and ramping up transparency in the ranking pattern with the introduction of detailed reports resonating with the ranking of a particular institution. NIRF’s shades on youth mindset are an inevitable issue that stimulates other concerns.
