Exclusive

Thank you RIMS

IFP Editorial: Several Central leaders had promised to uplift RIMS to the level of AIIMS, many times. But, somehow it has eluded the institute in spite of its various achievements towards providing health education and quality healthcare facilities to the region.

ByIFP Bureau

Updated 18 Jul 2022, 2:50 am

(Photo: IFP)
(Photo: IFP)

Had it not been for the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Imphal (RIMS), we would have gone into hiding. Once again, the state’s premier medical institution has made it to the list of top 50 medical colleges in India as per the India Rankings 2022 under the National Institutional Ranking Framework by the Education Ministry while no university or college from the state could make the cut even among the top 100 institutions.

It is for the fourth consecutive year that RIMS has been listed among the top 50 medical colleges in the country. While the institute was ranked 46th among the top 50, scores of many medical colleges decreased and the score of RIMS increased compared to past years. Thanks to the leadership of Director Dr A Shanta and his team for saving Manipur’s reputation, yet again.

Several Central leaders had promised to uplift RIMS to the level of AIIMS, many times. But, somehow it has eluded the institute in spite of its various achievements towards providing health education and quality healthcare facilities to the region.

Advertisement

The Institute has come a long way since its establishment in May 1972, as a joint venture of the Northeastern states. On September 14, 1972, the name was changed to Regional Medical College, Imphal. The college was later renamed as North Eastern Regional Medical College under the management of North Eastern Regional Medical College Society.

From August, 1976, it was run under the Ministry of Home, Government of India and was the only medical college run by the Union Home Ministry. Nearly 19 years later, the college was again renamed as Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and its management was taken over by NEC, Ministry of DoNER from April 1, 1995. After exactly 12 years, on the historic day of April 1, 2007, the Institute was transferred to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

The disappointment comes in the case of various universities and colleges of the state in NIFR list where none of the other institutions based in Manipur other than RIMS could not make the cut. Besides Manipur University, we have the Central Agriculture University, Dhanamanjuri University, Manipur Technical University, National Institute of Technology (NIT), Institute of Bio-Resources and Development (IBSD) and the Manipur University of Culture.

The NIRF ranking is based on parameters that include teaching, learning and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity among others. This year, no college from the state had been able to make it in the top 200 colleges of the country while Manipur University is placed at 178th position as the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2022 was released by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday, while three universities from the Northeast was included in the top 100 bracket.

Advertisement

The Gauhati University (64), NIT Silchar (76) and Tezpur University (90) from the northeast featured in the top 100 institutions while Mizoram University (129), NEHU (136), Assam University (151), Dibugarh University (163) and MU (178) are in the top 200 list.

In 2020, five institutions from Northeast were able to make it in the top 100 institutes in overall category. They are Tezpur University, Gauhati University, North Eastern Hill University, NIT Silchar and the Mizoram University. From these scenario, we have no other alternative to conclude that it is because lack of academic leadership in Manipur’s institutions that we are lagging behind repeatedly in the national scene. Heading a University or College or institution is not all about having the required administrative experience, but more of providing academic leadership to the institution.

Institutions in the state more particularly Manipur University had been in turmoil for quite some time due to agitation by students and teachers while other central universities and institutions besides were mostly led by stop-gap administrators and in-charge head of institutions. Therein lies the anathema in our education scenario.

--Editorial

Advertisement

First published:

Tags:

RIMShealthcaremedical collegesmanipur hospitals

IFP Bureau

IFP Bureau

IMPHAL, Manipur

Advertisement

Top Stories

Loading data...
Advertisement

IFP Exclusive

Loading data...