Research integrity, redundant syllabus among reasons: Ex-Vice Chancellor Kalmarkar on SPPU’s NIRF fall
Post discussion on the drop in rankings organised by the Progressive Education Society on Wednesday, Karmalkar shared data from the Research Integrity Risk Index (RI²), developed by Lokman Meho at the American University of Beirut.
Karmalkar also suggested inclusion of modern courses, “Today’s era is of AI, data science, bioinformatics, and such fields. Therefore when we talk about the university it is not just the size but also scale, speed, and scope. What work are we doing in emerging fields to compete with private universities?”
In addition to dwindling faculty numbers, research integrity, redundant syllabus, a lack of international faculty and student diversity, and inadequate ‘data management’ are reasons for Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU) drop in National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) this year, said former Vice-Chancellor of the university Nitin Karmalkar. SPPU’s rank slid to 91 in the ‘Overall’ rankings this year as compared to the 37 rank it achieved last year.
Post discussion on the drop in rankings organised by the Progressive Education Society on Wednesday, Karmalkar shared data from the Research Integrity Risk Index (RI²), developed by Lokman Meho at the American University of Beirut. SPPU was ranked in the ‘Red Flag’ category, signalling extreme anomalies and systemic integrity risks. This means a higher than acceptable number of research papers are either retracted or published in journals delisted by Scopus or Web of Science.
In his speech at the event Karmalkar talked about updating the syllabus and said, “We must think about how redundant has the syllabus become. Many times we see that the intake is 20 but there are not even 2 students. This means that the syllabus is outdated and there is no demand in the market. Such subjects should be analysed and checked if it is possible to shut them. It should also be kept in mind that it is very easy to shut but it is also a question of the professor’s livelihood. So what alternative can be provided (must be thought about).”
He added that steps must be taken to increase the ‘Perception’ metric of the university that had fallen. “Another area we are lacking in is perception, maybe not just from today but even during or before my time. Just like emeritus professors, we have a category called distinguished professors. We had selected people who would provide the university with visibility, like Satish Alekar, Sanjay Dhande, Vikram Gokhale, etc. Just their presence on our campus has a lot of indirect benefits,” said Kalmalkar.
Talking about data input by the universities for rankings such as NIRF, Kalmalkar, who was the Vice-Chancellor from 2017 to 2022, said, “While compiling the data, we had to analyse each and every parameter of where we are falling behind everyday. And one must know how to play with that data. That is what private universities do. Is there any such thing as permanent faculty in private universities? We all know what is the truth. But still if they are able to improve in their rankings; it means that they have understood the way the data needs to be compiled…the permutations and combinations have to be continuously analysed.”
Karmalkar also suggested inclusion of modern courses, “Today’s era is of AI, data science, bioinformatics, and such fields. Therefore when we talk about the university it is not just the size but also scale, speed, and scope. What work are we doing in emerging fields to compete with private universities?”
Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting.
Professional Background
Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune.
Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics.
Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories:
1. Investigations & Governance
"Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents.
"44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families.
2. Education & Campus Life
Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
"Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial.
"Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers.
3. Human Rights & Social Issues
"Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India.
"'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying.
Signature Style
Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty.
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