V Ramgopal Rao thinks so as the NIRF overlook the teaching quality in the institutions. V Ram gopal Rao is a former IIT Delhi Director and he is currently VC of BITS Pilani. Abhishik Singh he is alos from BITs Pilani has published the finding in Current Science Journal.
The study titled ‘Unpacking inconsistencies in the NIRF rankings’ highlights several flaws within the NIRF framework, including significant fluctuations in annual rankings and a lack of transparency in the methodology.
The paper reads “While the NIRF rankings aim to enhance transparency and accountability, the present study has identified several inconsistencies, thus raising concerns about their reliability.
The authors point out that NIRF’s reliance on self-reported data from institutions introduces variability and potential biases.
The NIRF should have stringent verification processes, otherwise it leads uncertainty about the consistency and accuracy of the data presented.
They also point out the comparison to international rankings like the QS World University Rankings, which employ mechanisms to mitigate large swings in rankings year-to-year, NIRF lacks a similar approach. The absence of such a stabilizing mechanism may lead to inaccuracies, potentially skewing perceptions of an institution’s performance.
The study advocates for ongoing dialogue and refinement of the NIRF framework to address these inconsistencies.
The authors further states that if the identified issues, if not addressed might impact the credibility and relevance of the NIRF rankings, potentially affecting the perceptions of stakeholders such as students, parents, and policymakers,” the authors conclude.
While the NIRF rankings serve as a valuable tool for assessing educational institutions in India, the study underscores the importance of incorporating comprehensive and reliable evaluation methods to ensure fairness and accuracy in the ranking process.
The study cautions that institutions adept at presenting data favourably may benefit disproportionately from the rankings.
Though NIRF says that the data provided by these institutes are filtered thoroughly by the team and who so ever fits into its parameter are ranked. We should not forget also that There are good number of institutions who do not get their ranking.
What NIRF states about this ranking
,India Rankings employ objective parameters and metrics, using data from the institutions themselves and third-party sources such as Web of Science, Scopus, and Derwent Innovation. Over the past nine years, data collection formats, metrics, and comparison methodologies have been continuously improved.