IISERs Will Have Seperate Parameter for National Ranking: Irani

From next year the National Ranking Framework that the Central Government had introduced to evaluate the performance of the various higher education institutions in the country will have a different set of parameters for IISERs.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani while presiding over the 4th convocation of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)-Kolkata on June 28 said that IISERs have contributed a lot in the study of basic sciences within a very short period of time.

The minister also said that these institutes went ahead forging academic collaboration links with reputed institutes abroad and as a result, the students will be able to access academic facilities abroad while studying at the institutions in the home country.

“For the first time in the history of our country, the government at centre has allowed our educational institutions to tie up with foreign institutions for offering degree programmes. Indian educational institutions, which enter into academic tie-ups with foreign institutes would have to make sure that students who choose for these courses would study at least one semester for PG degrees and two semesters for UG degrees abroad,” said Irani at the IISER’s Mohanpur campus in Nadia district of West Bengal.

“Under the new norm the name of the parent and foreign institutions would be mentioned on the degree certificate for such courses,” said the minister.
While praising the efforts of promoting scientific research activities among the school students by the IISER-Kolkata, the HRD minister said that the quest for discovery, knowledge and innovations should continue at all levels. The minister also expressed her hope that the efforts will help improve the study of science which has dipped to 30%.

The minister also informed at that a two-member team of the HRD Ministry would visit the institutes to know problems of the institutes have been facing like -shortage of hostel facilities faced by students and faculty. They will also find out other priority needs of the IISER-Kolkata. The institutes have been celebrating the 10th year of its commencement.

On the occasion, Director of the institute read out a message sent by President of India Pranab Mukherjee. The President praised the contribution of the institute in science education and research. IISER-Kolkata has made an excellent beginning by creating a niche for science - the President wrote.

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi also spoke on the occasion and said the meritorious students of this institute should realise that apart from inculcating their personal knowledge, they are creating national wealth. He not only points out how the positive results of science can help the society but also cautioned its negative impact if they are used in the wrong manner.

The Governor also expressed his hope that in research and study of basic sciences, IISER-Kolkata would work in collaboration with Bose Institute, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and IIEST-Shibpur and Jadavpur Universities.