Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Odisha government is establishing a number of universities around the state. However, the national rankings of such universities are rapidly declining. Concerned about the situation, the State’s Higher Education Department has launched an investigation to determine the causes of the drop in university quality education. Concerned about the declining National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings, the State’s Higher Education Department has issued letters to its Regional Directors, requesting that they investigate the causes.
According to studies, the quality of higher education in Odisha is rapidly deteriorating. The state’s universities and degree institutions are unable to achieve strong national-level rankings due to a lack of infrastructure and the needed number of instructors. On July 8, the Odisha Higher Education Minister convened a review conference to examine the likely causes of the institutions’ declines in NAAC and NIRF rankings. The meeting resolved that necessary efforts will be done in this regard to enhance the rankings.
The Department has directed all of its Regional Directors to visit universities and degree schools across the state to assess their deficiencies and submit reports. If necessary, the Department has also directed that the task be outsourced. The Department has also requested that listings of empty positions at higher education institutions around the state be submitted. The effort demonstrates that all is not well at the State’s Higher Educational Departments.
