Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakantdada Patil on Wednesday underlined the need for dedicated and coordinated efforts to substantially improve the performance of Maharashtra’s universities in national and international rankings. He urged universities to prioritise academic excellence, strengthen research quality, and build a stronger global presence to make the state’s higher education system more competitive. Patil stated during a review meeting at Mantralaya that greater efforts were necessary to enhance NIRF rankings and elevate the state’s academic institutes to leading positions in India and globally.
The review meeting, chaired by Patil, was held to evaluate the status of university rankings and outline strategies to improve Maharashtra’s position in national systems such as the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and international rankings. Officials also discussed plans for a state-level SIRF portal, which would support improved data transparency, performance tracking, and systematic monitoring of institutional progress. The discussion focused on identifying frameworks and processes that could help universities align with global academic standards and strengthen visibility and credibility.
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Key priorities highlighted in the meeting included enhancing research output, increasing student enrollment, improving teaching practices, and upgrading both academic and physical infrastructure. Patil stressed that institutions must prioritise research with global recognition and work toward strengthening NAAC accreditation scores. Officials noted that coordinated action could significantly boost Maharashtra’s ranking profile in the near future. Patil instructed universities to implement urgent measures in all identified areas to ensure visible improvement in upcoming assessment and ranking cycles.