IIT-Mandi gets 7th rank in India

Tribune News Service

Solan/Mandi, August 18

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi, has attained the seventh rank among higher educational institutions (HEIs) nationally and the top rank in the state in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovations and Achievements (ARIIA) released by the Union Ministry of Education today.

Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has been placed in ‘Band A’ under the government and government-aided universities category, which comprises rank six to 25 among 15 other universities nationally. No other government sector university has been ranked from Himachal. The other farm university, CSK Agriculture University, Palampur, has found no place.

Stringent parameters such as programmes and activities on intellectual property rights, innovation, start-up, representation of students in such events, annual budget spent on innovation and start-ups, funds and grants received, patents granted and published, technology commercialisation, transfer, etc., were taken into consideration while ranking the institutes.

Among the private and self-financed universities, the Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences has been placed in the top ‘Band A’, which comprises rank six to 25. No other private university from the state figures in this band.

In ‘Band B’ which comprises rank 26 to 50, the Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat, and Eternal University, Barru Sahib, have found place.

Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Director, IIT-Mandi, said, “We are ecstatic that our efforts in improving the curriculum through practicum-based learning and focus on the entrepreneurial eco-system are yielding results.”

“IIT-Mandi Catalyst, the first technology business incubator in Himachal Pradesh, has helped over 75 startups since 2017 and is changing the industry profile and entrepreneurial mindset. We aim to incubate technology-based startups focused on economic and/or social impacts. Our aim is to build a startup and collaborative research ecosystem by working with academic and industry leaders. The ARIIA 2020 has given us the reassurance that the IIT is going in the right direction,” he said.

Place for private varsities

• The Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences has been placed in the top ‘Band A’
• The Jaypee University of Information Technology, Waknaghat in Solan, and Eternal University, Barru Sahib, have found place in ‘Band B’