QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2021 - JGU RANKED NUMBER ONE PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN INDIA

JGU RANKED NUMBER ONE PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN INDIA BY
QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2021
Key Highlights of the QS World University Rankings (WUR) 2021:

• JGU is India’s Number One Private University.
• A possible 100 rank climb up for JGU from 751-800 band in 2020 to 651-700 band in 2021
• JGU is the only Institution of Eminence (IOE) that has significantly moved up in ranking in the QS WUR 2021 compared to QS WUR 2020
• In QS World University Rankings 2021, JGU is the highest performing IOE compared to previous year’s QS World University Rankings
• 21 Universities from India are in the top 1000 in the world in these rankings.
• JGU is the highest-ranked Indian university, which focuses solely on Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities.
• JGU is the youngest Indian University to be ranked this year.
• JGU is ranked amongst the top 300 universities in the world in faculty-student ratio, which presently stands at 1:9.
• JGU is ranked amongst the top 450 universities in the world in employer reputation.
• JGU is ranked amongst the top 500 universities in the world in international faculty, which makes up 14% of JGU’s total faculty.

New Delhi, June 10:  O.P. Jindal Global University is ranked as India's Number 1 Private University by the QS World University Rankings 2021. At a time when the total number of Indian institutions have gone down in the QS World University Rankings 2021, JGU has vastly improved its position in these rankings that were released today by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). 

Within 11 years of establishment, JGU has been ranked in the top 651-700 universities in the world and has become India’s Number 1 Ranked Private University. JGU is also India’s Number 1 Ranked University with a focus solely on Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities as per the influential QS World University Rankings 2021.

With a jump of a possible 100 ranks to the 651-700 band this year from the 751-800 band last year, JGU is the only 'Institution of Eminence' (IOE) that has climbed up significantly in the QS World University Rankings 2021 compared to the rankings last year. In QS World University Rankings 2021, JGU is the highest performing IOE compared to previous year’s QS World University Rankings.

The Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Hon’ble Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank will be the Chief Guest at a virtual event being held today for the India Exclusive Launch of QS World University Rankings (2021) for unveiling and the presentation of QS World University Rankings 2021 Certificates to ranked Indian Institutions. The Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Professor (Dr.) D.P. Singh, and the Chairman of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Professor (Dr.) V.S. Chauhan will be the Guests of Honour on the occasion. Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) will be represented by the Senior Vice President of QS, Mr. Ben Sowter, and Regional Director – MENA & South Asia, QS, Dr. Ashwin Fernandes.

While 24 Indian universities made it to the top 1000 last year, this number has dropped to 21 universities this year. JGU is the highest-ranked Indian university solely dedicated to the study of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities. As an eleven year old, non-STEM and non-Medicine university, JGU has yet again broken stereotypes of what it takes to be a truly Global University by entering into the top 700 universities in the world, and becoming the youngest Indian university to feature in this year’s rankings.

This has become possible due to JGU’s international diversity among its faculty, a phenomenal increase in its reputation, and a steadfast commitment to maintaining a strong faculty-student ratio. As per the QS World University Rankings 2021, JGU was ranked amongst the top 300 universities in the world in faculty-student ratio, amongst the top 450 universities in the world in employer reputation, and amongst the top 500 universities in the world in international faculty.

Out of the 20 IOEs selected by the Government of India, only 13 found a place in the QS World University Rankings 2021. This includes 4 IITs, IISc, Delhi University, Anna University, University of Hyderabad, MAHE, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, BHU, Jadavpur University and O.P. Jindal Global University. This year, JGU is the youngest and the highest performing IOE compared to previous year’s Qs World University Rankings 2020.

The Founding Chancellor of JGU, Mr. Naveen Jindal, said that this global recognition of JGU for two consecutive years is indeed a defining moment. He said, "It is an incredibly proud moment for me to see JGU leading the charge in fostering academic excellence in India and the world. JGU was established in memory of my father to be a centre of excellence and produce outstanding leaders in various walks of life. I am immensely pleased to see that it is fulfilling its vision through sustained hard work. I wish to congratulate the Vice Chancellor, faculty, and staff of JGU for their continued commitment to providing a world-class education to our students."  He further said, “Climbing up in the QS World University Rankings 2021 and the prestigious recognition of JGU as an 'Institution of Eminence' gives hope for a more evolved higher education landscape in India in the coming years”.

Welcoming this exciting development, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice-Chancellor of JGU said, “JGU being recognised among the top 2.5% of universities in the world is testament to its aspiration to be a world-class university. This remarkable achievement of JGU rising to the 651-700 band this year from the 751-800 band last year, as per prestigious QS World University Rankings 2021 is a watershed moment and is indeed a landmark development and an important milestone in our brief institutional journey. We are deeply humbled by this international recognition for our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of excellence in higher education. Being a decade-old, private, non-STEM, non-Medicine University, we are elated to have broken all stereotypes of what it takes to become a world-class university. Our constant endeavour will be to further strengthen our teaching, learning outcomes, international collaborations and quality.” Referring to the unprecedented challenges and current uncertainties during a pandemic, Professor Raj Kumar affirmed the institutional commitment to promoting excellence at JGU and said, "At 11 years of age, a youthful and dynamic JGU is leading the path for a resurgent and emerging India to make a mark in the global higher education space. As the world fights the ramifications of a global pandemic, JGU, as the highest-ranked Indian university that solely focuses on social sciences, arts & humanities in the second-most populous country, has a significant role to play in building India and the world." 

JGU is now in the same league as some of the leading international and mature universities, including the American University (established in 1893), the University of Massachusetts, Boston (established in 1852) and the City University of New York (established in 1961) in the USA; the University of Westminster (established in 1838) and the University of Plymouth (established in 1862) in the UK, Leibniz Universität Hannover (established in 1831) in Germany and Tokyo Metropolitan University (established in 1949). 

JGU has been ranked above some of the internationally acclaimed universities around the world, including, Middlesex University (UK), George Mason University (USA), University of Houston (USA), University of Haifa (Israel), University of Seoul (South Korea), Abu Dhabi University (UAE), Universität Rostock (Germany) and Beijing Foreign Studies University (China). 

In his reaction, Professor (Dr.) Y.S.R. Murthy, Registrar of JGU said, “I am excited about this development. At JGU, we are strongly committed to ensuring world-class education and these rankings vindicate the steps taken by us since our inception. To jump to the 651-700 band this year from 751-800 band last year and become the number one ranked Private University would not have become possible without a sound vision, implementation plan and sustained hard work. I wish to sincerely thank all Members of the Governing Body and other apex bodies of the University, faculty members, staff, students and our partner institutions for their laudable contribution in this achievement.”

These results were released shortly after JGU became the first Indian university to receive QS IGAUGE E-Learning Excellence for Academic Digitisation (E-LEAD) Certification from the coveted QS IGAUGE for e-learning excellence. This represents JGU’s commitment towards providing its students a truly global experience in their academic pursuits while ensuring that even a global pandemic like COVID-19 does not deter them.

This news indeed comes as a ray of hope for students who aspire to pursue a world class education at a global university in India.

Professor (Dr.) Ashish Bharadwaj, Dean, Jindal School of Banking and Finance and Executive Director of the Office of Rankings, Benchmarking and Institutional Transformation (ORBIT) said “As a very young and focused university, we are delighted to be a part of an illustrious league of mature national and international universities. We envisage entering the top 500 globally in the near future for which healthy competition and fruitful cooperation are vital to success.”

Professor Arjya B. Majumdar, Dean, Admissions & Outreach and Executive Director of the Office of Rankings, Benchmarking and Institutional Transformation (ORBIT) said “This is indicative of the quality of our faculty, the work that we do, and our reputation globally. We should, of course, be mindful that rankings are but a tool to determine excellence - a means to an end and not the end itself. Having gone up in the QS WUR since last year, this means that we’re well on our journey to excellence.”

About O.P. Jindal Global University 

O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) is a multi-disciplinary and research oriented University that is recognised by the Government of India as an "Institution of Eminence" (IoE). JGU is the only non-STEM and non-Medicine University, which has been recognised as an IoE. Founded in 2009, O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) is a non-profit global and research focussed university established by the Government of Haryana and recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC). JGU maintains a 1:9 faculty-student ratio and appoints faculty members from India and different parts of the world with outstanding academic qualifications and experience. With over 5,000 students and 560-plus faculty, studying and living on a fully residential campus, JGU's nine schools focus on law, management, international affairs, public policy, liberal arts & humanities, journalism, art & architecture, banking & finance and environment & sustainability. In 2019, JGU broke into the QS World University Rankings 2020. JGU is the only Indian private university in the top 150 'young' universities in the world (under 50 years of age) in the QS Rankings of Young Universities - 2020. Recently, the Jindal Global Law School of JGU was ranked Number 1 in India and among the top 101-150 law schools in the world by the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020: Law. JGU is also the first Indian university to receive the QS IGAUGE E-LEAD (E-Learning Excellence for Academic Digitisation) Certification for achieving excellence in promoting online education. JGU is an initiative of the Jindal Steel & Power Foundation.