Not a single state-run higher education institution from Bihar figured among the top 100 in the overall ranking across the country, as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) under the Union Ministry of education this year.

That is more worrisome because the state government claims to have made the largest allocation of its annual budget to education department. There are more than two dozen universities and 260 constituent colleges under the administrative control of the state having a population of about 13 crore, but not a single institution is able to compete at the national level.

IIT Patna has fallen 7 points in the NIRF rating and is now rated 66th overall. In contrast, AIIMS Patna is ranked 27th in the medical category. With a budget of more than 500 crores, Patna University was also unable to rank among the top 100 institutions. In Bihar, only central institutions have been successful in earning a spot in the ranking.

About a dozen institutions from the state, including L N Mithila University, Chanakya National Law University, Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna, Patna Women’s College, St Xavier’s College of Education, A N College, College of Commerce, Arts and Science, Patna, C M College, Darbhanga, Jagjiwan College, Ara and R D and DJ College, Munger had applied for their ranking, but none of them could make it to the top 100. Strangely, the 105-year-old Patna University (PU) has not applied for NIRF ranking ever since it was introduced in 2016. It was accredited with B+ grade by NAAC in 2019.

The ranking has been made considering several parameters such as research, innovation, teacher-student ratio, perception, graduation outcome, outreach, and inclusivity. It is the most awaited list as students consider taking admission to these institutes based on their ranks