National Institutional Ranking Framework for Innovation: Igniting Innovation in Indian Education
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Table of Contents:
What Is the National Institutional Ranking Framework for Innovation?
Why Rank Institutions Based on Innovation?
How Are Institutions Assessed?
What Changes Has the Ranking Brought?
How Does EdTech Help Institutions Innovate?
What Lies Ahead for Innovation in India?
Entrepreneurship is essential for national development. New ventures require new ideas. Thus, innovation is key to driving the progress of a country. Encouraging innovation in higher educational institutions becomes essential.
In India, the Ministry of Education launched a program for this in 2019. Initially, it was called the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA). It then morphed into the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for Innovation. It evaluates institutions on how well they nurture a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
The ranking system is not merely for recognition. It motivates colleges and universities to build strong support infrastructure for research, innovation, and business ventures. The system measures the local and global impact of these efforts.
Institutions are ranked based on several key parameters:
The ranking takes into account efforts to build an innovative mindset through academic programs, workshops, clubs, and other activities.
The institutions are measured on the quality of innovation and entrepreneurship education. Their course offerings, teaching methods, and student engagement are considered.
Facilities like incubation centres, maker spaces, and innovation labs must be available and accessible.
The number and quality of patents, research publications, and their social or economic relevance count for the position of the institution in the rankings.
Startups launched by students or faculty are counted as a sign of an encouraging entrepreneurial environment.
The institution must have formal collaborations with industry, academia, or other stakeholders. Such collaborations help in strengthening innovation outcomes.
The institution must also put in efforts in intellectual property protection, technology transfer, and revenue from innovation.
The ranking has influenced higher education in several important ways:
Recognition for Innovation: Institutions that receive top rankings get a lot of attention. This makes it possible for them to attract good students and faculty. It also becomes easy for them to get funding for their further initiatives.
Healthy Competition: Institutions are motivated to compete with each other on ideas. This creates an environment full of new concepts and projects.
Stronger Innovation Ecosystems: Institutions invest more resources in research. They strengthen their Infrastructure to support innovation. They also build fruitful partnerships.
Support for Entrepreneurs: Initiatives such as incubators and accelerators help turn ideas into viable businesses.
EdTech platforms like Camu provide much-needed support for improving innovation outcomes.
Learning Management Systems (LMS) promote creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and critical thinking. These are skills essential for innovation. These platforms also make learning more inclusive. They help students from diverse backgrounds participate fully.
CamuEngage connects students with industry mentors and offers online courses in entrepreneurship. The Accreditations module helps institutions easily manage and report data for innovation rankings.
When used strategically, EdTech tools can strengthen an institution’s efforts to build a culture of innovation.
India’s innovation scene is rapidly improving. With strong support from the government, currently, there are more than 115,000 startups. Cities like Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR have become innovation hubs. India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index has risen from 81st in 2015 to 40th in 2023.
NIRF’s Innovation Ranking has played a major role in this transformation. Encouraging institutions to priorities innovation has sparked nationwide progress. More and more institutions now invest in research and entrepreneurship. India awaits even more breakthrough ideas, successful ventures, and international recognition