The Kerala Institutional Ranking Framework (KIRF) has announced rankings for higher education institutions in the State.
While Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) topped the ranking of universities, the University of Kerala and Mahatma Gandhi University are in the second and third positions, respectively.
University College, Thiruvananthapuram, is in the first position among arts and science colleges, followed by Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (Autonomous), Ernakulam, in the second place and St. Teresa’s College (Autonomous), Ernakulam, in the third.
The College of Engineering, Trivandrum, is the top engineering college, while Government Engineering College, Thrissur, and TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, are in the second and third places.
While the Government College of Teacher Education, Kozhikode, secured first place among teacher education colleges, Farook Training College, Kozhikode, and PKM College of Education, Madampam, Kannur, are in the second and third positions.
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, is the best agriculture and allied college. College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, and College of Forestry, Thrissur, secured the second and third places.
Only one nursing college, Government College of Nursing, Thiruvananthapuram, secured place in the ranking list.
Announcing the rankings here on Friday, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu said the new ranking system launched by the Left Democratic Front government aims to improve the national and international rankings of the State’s higher education institutions and help students choose institutions based on quality. Kerala becomes the first State in the country to implement such a State-level ranking framework.
NIRF guidelines
The KIRF system was introduced by the Department of Higher Education and the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KHEC) to improve the quality of education in State’s universities and colleges. It has been developed on the model of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) guidelines. A dedicated online portal (www.kirf.kshec.org) has been set up for the KIRF, she said.
A total of 449 higher education institutions participated in the first KIRF rankings. The institutions were categorised into 12 different sectors.
In addition to the NIRF’s standard criteria, the KIRF incorporates State-specific indicators like scientific temperament, secular outlook, regional diversity, first-generation learners, social inclusiveness, and green technology. The perception factor, which is part of the NIRF, was excluded from the KIRF ranking methodology.
The ranking criteria are teaching, learning, and resources (30%); knowledge dissemination and research excellence (30%); graduation outcomes (20%); outreach and inclusivity (10% ); and scientific temper and secular outlook (10%).
Published – December 20, 2024 06:41 pm IST
