Two universities located in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have been competing to get the tag of Institute of Eminence (IoE) for quite some time now. However, it has been revealed that there are speculations about the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) being ahead in this race of getting the IoE tag after all. SPPU has successfully established itself as one of the best universities in India in recent years.
An official from the University Grants Commission (UGC) has declared that the Savitribai Phule Pune University has the potential of securing a rank in the top 100 global universities. The IoE (Institute of Eminence) tag has been offered by the UGC to two state universities and they are yet to accept it.
The C, Bhushan Patwardhan, said that being acclaimed as an Institute of Eminence can definitely give SPPU an edge and provide a pathway for its entry into the elite club of universities. He further stated that the final outcome will be revealed within a span of two months. Patwardhan spoke to the media on this topic on the sidelines of a conference that was held on the New Education Policy (NEP) 2019. The conference was organised on 31st August 2019, Saturday.
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He said that no communication letter of acceptance was received by both the state universities of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal yet. He added that in spite of not having the tag of IoE, SPPU still possesses the potential to make a place for itself on the global level among the top 100 to 200 universities in the world.
Bhushan Patwardhan said that the Pune academic community and the SPPU have shown to possess the capability and flair of a level where IoE tagged institutions are expected to go. As per the Vice-Chairman, the university can easily make it into the international category of top 100 to 200 universities globally provided the Pune university manages to get sufficient autonomy so as to govern itself. He revealed that funding was not a major concern for the Savitribai Phule Pune University.
Bhushan Patwardhan also stated some reasons as to why SPPU was placed low in some of the rankings. The quality of the faculty of SPPU, including the international faculty, has been a major reason for its low scores in some areas. However, with diverse institutions located in the city of Pune, the international faculty is particularly keen on being a part of this academic circle. Patwardhan said that this can be achieved better if SPPU is given full autonomy.
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The Savitribai Phule Pune University has been taking many initiatives for giving a boost to its curriculum and overall performance. The university has achieved several feats and accolades in the recent months itself. Undoubtedly, the SPPU is one of the most eligible institutions to receive the Institute of Eminence tag.