IISc slips in global research rankings, JNCASR gains

Two city-based  institutions have featured once again among the top 500 world institutions in terms of science research output.

The rankings were published by the Nature Publishing Group that brings out a number of well known academic journals. It also says that in terms of the overall science output, India ranked 13, while the United States topped the list.

In the rankings released on Thursday, ranking of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) has significantly gone up while that of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has marginally slipped, from 123 in 2015 to 137. The IISc, however, is still in much higher position in the rankings than JNCASR, which  climbed up 45 ranks to reach 397.

Five other Indian institutions have been featured in the rankings namely, the Indian Institutes of Technology (rank 51), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (80), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (159), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (rank 268), Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (295) and the University of Hyderabad (472).  A senior faculty from JNCASR, who didn’t wish to be named, said: “We are obviously very happy that our ranking has improved. Our publication record is excellent. Considering the number of faculty and students that the institution comprises, I would say that we have been highly productive.”

A senior faculty from the IISc said a few factors like the absence of nobel laureates among the faculty at IISc, besides others, went against achieving a higher position in such rankings.  However, there was no reason to worry, he said. Prof Anurag Kumar, Director, IISc and V Nagaraja, president, JNCASR, could not be reached for a comment.