WHY THE IITs HAVE A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE NIRF MANAGEMENT RANKINGS

Why the IITs have a strong presence in the NIRF Management rankings Thanks to industry-academia connect, the disruptive innovation culture, research zeal and a strong alumni network that helps in procuring placements, the IITs are climbing up the NIRF Rankings in the Management category that is usually dominated by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMS). In the NIRF Rankings 2023 Management category. IIT Delhi is in the 5th position, while IIM Lucknow is in the 6th position. Some of the older IITs such as IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Madras have higher ran- kings than some of the younger IIMs including IIM Udaipur, IIM Kashipur and IIM Ranchi. In the NIRF Management (Research and Teaching) Rankings 2016, the inaugural year of the rankings, IIT Kanpur at 9th position was the only IIT among the top 15 management institutions. In 2017, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee featured in 6,7 and 8th positions respectively, followed by IIT Kanpur in 11th. In 2018, four IITs featured in the top ten with IIT Bombay in the 5th position, IIT Kharagpur in 7, IIT Delhi in 8 and IIT Roorkee in the 9th position. In 2019, at least 5 IITs featured in the top 15. In 2021, IIT Delhi featured in the 4th position followed by IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras and IIT Roorkee in the 9,10,13 and 14th positions, respectively. Although the IIT's have not breached the top three positions which are dominated by IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Kozhikode in 2023, they have steadily maintained their presence among the top 15 positions in the NIRF Management ran- kings. "The IITs are known for their technical courses; however, they can prove to be a nourishing ground for Management students due to the disruptive innovation culture, and the research zeal that exists in these institutes. Having an IIT degree can enhance the marketability of the students in the job market The strong alumni networks help procure placements for the management graduates and the rich quality of faculty drives students to not only learn the required skills for making them job-ready but also bring out the research inquisitiveness in them," says Laishram Boeing Singh, head, School of Business, IIT Guwahati, adding that IITs, being centres of innovation and entrepreneurship, can encourage and support students in transforming their technical knowledge into successful business ventures. IITs keep track of the latest innovation and research trends in other top educational institutions and create high benchmarks for them- selves, which keeps them ahead of other management institutions in the country. "IIT's incorporate case studies, simulations, and project work into their management courses. The practical components allow students to apply theoretical concepts to real-world situations. They have also established strong ties with the industry, guest lectures and internships," says Singh. Besides a strong focus on research, the IIT brand is valued by employ ers and industries. "Having an IIT degree can enhance the credibility and marketability of students in the job market. IITs have a vast alumni network that spans various industries and sectors. Students have the opportunity to network with successful alumni and industry professionals. The brand value of IITs, coupled with technical and managerial skills, can open the doors to a wide range of career opportunities," says Singh. Technology and Management are important for almost all industries and courses that enable students to hone analytical skills and research mode of thinking help them develop a more holistic approach. "Integration of engineering mindset with management outlook and perspective is a critical resource for many organisations," says Prof M Thenmozhi, head, Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras that topped the NIRF 2023 Rankings in the Overall category and stood 15th in the Management category. He says that the students who pursue Management programmes at the IITs have several advantages including the wide choice of course offerings with opportunities to opt for courses from engineering departments; access to path-breaking re- search, and capability development through techno- analytical skills that are embedded in the programmes. Talking about how IIT Delhi maintains the quality of Management education, Mahim Sagar, professor and head, Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi, says that the quality is maintained by the faculty members who are the lead academicians (researchers and teachers) in their areas, and they deliver contextualised, industry-centric research- based courses. "It is the hall- mark of IIT system," he adds