How the QS World University Rankings reinforce elitism and caste bias

Source: The post is based on an article “How the QS World University Rankings reinforce elitism and caste bias” published in The Indian Express on 4^th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Issues Related with the Education System

Relevance: About the QS World University Ranking 2024

News: Recently, the QS World University Ranking 2024 was released.

What are the findings of the QS World University Ranking 2024?

Nine out of the top ten spots were taken by universities from the US and Europe.

The National University of Singapore (NUS) became the first Asian university to come under the top 10, recording the eighth position.

In terms of Indian institutions, IIT-Bombay achieved a significant milestone by making it to the top 150 universities list, ranking at 149.

The ranking criteria comprise the following nine indicators: 1) Academic Reputation, 2) Employer Reputation, 3) Faculty Student Ratio, 4) Citations per Faculty, 5) International Faculty Ratio, 6) International Student Ratio, 7) International Research Network, 8) Employment Outcomes and 9) Sustainability.

What are the concerns with the QS rankings?

Out of the nine indicators, Academic Reputation and Citations per Faculty collectively have 50 percent of the weightage.

In the context of India, these indicators raise questions not only about elite institutions but also about individual faculty members and their research, as both reputation and citation value of each individual carry significant weightage.

Most estimates in India suggest that 98% of professors and 90% of assistant or associate professors in institutions like IISc and IITs come from the upper castes. This shows a significant disparity in representation.

This also implies that the knowledge base and perspectives of only 20% of the population dominate at least 90% in the respective field.

Considering these factors, academics from IIT Bombay will most likely nominate peers from similar institutions known for conducting prominent research, to the Academic Reputation survey.

This raises concerns about the representation of their work and citation.

Furthermore, the number of citations holds significant weight in determining legitimacy and can impact factors such as promotions and salaries.

Without proper representation, researchers from marginalized backgrounds may face even greater challenges in gaining recognition, diminishing their citational value regardless of the merit of their work.

Hence, the QS World University Ranking does not take these factors into consideration and publishes a report preserving global educational inequalities.

What is the way ahead?

This lack of representation in the higher educational institutions in India keeps the knowledge and experience of the majority in this country unexplored or invisible.

Additionally, it maintains elitism in the higher education system. The cyclical nature preserves the status quo, ensuring that institutions remain inaccessible and unassailable.

Hence, even if there has been improvement in the ranking of IIT-Bombay, it is not a matter of pride as there are structural flaws in the education system, which needs to be addressed.