Achievements in the field of higher education

The central government's NIRF ranking proves that the qualitative interventions being made by the state government in the field of higher education are yielding good results. Kerala is home to sixteen of the nation's top 100 higher education institutions. This is an achievement that all Malayalis and the Department of Higher Education can be proud of. The fact that three universities of the state made it to the ranking of public sector universities is likewise a noteworthy accomplishment. Kerala University, the first and the oldest in the state, secured the ninth rank, while Cochin University and MG University got the tenth and eleventh ranks respectively. The position of Calicut University is 43rd. All these universities have moved ahead in the rankings compared to the previous year.

Sixteen colleges in the state have figured in the national ranking of arts and science colleges. Among them, Rajagiri College in Ernakulam stands at the top with 20th rank. University College, Thiruvananthapuram came second in the list among the colleges from Kerala. St. Teresa's and Sacred Heart Colleges came third and fourth respectively. NIT, Kozhikode ranks first in the state among engineering colleges. Indian Institute of Space and Technology, and Palakkad IIT are also among the top 100 institutes. IIM, Kozhikode is the first in the state with third rank among management institutes. Thiruvananthapuram Government Dental College, National Law University, Kochi, Thrissur Agricultural University, Kozhikode NIT (Architecture) and Fisheries University, Panangad are also at the top of the rankings.

The quality of education in the state is measured by the quality of higher education institutions in the state. In that case, more institutions must rise up to the standards of top higher education centres in the state. If we look at the quality of colleges that got featured in the national rankings, we can see that the brightest students have gifted this achievement to these institutions. These are the institutes that come to the minds of the brightest students of the state when they think of higher studies. These educational institutions are at the forefront in terms of quality of study as well as placements. Several new courses have recently been added to the curriculum at colleges across the nation. However, traditional courses still remain dominant in most of the colleges of the state.

Universities should take an interest in finding the courses needed for the new age and introducing them to the colleges. Universities can achieve further achievements in the field of higher education only if VCs and subordinates with talent, expertise and vision change over time. While private universities are playing a major role in other states, the allergy to this idea has not ended in Kerala. At present, Malayalis who complete their higher education are finding it hard to get jobs that suit their qualifications. That is why tens of thousands of graduates and post-graduates are competing even for last-grade jobs. Imparting knowledge won't make education effective. It will become effective only when those who complete their studies are given proper employment.