Goa University’s latest admission notice for 2026–27 has set off a storm. The university has earmarked just 15 seats in each integrated programme for students who’ve completed Class XII in Goa, while opening up 35 seats to applicants from outside the State. This imbalance has struck a nerve because, on the face of it, it appears that the university is focused more on non-Goan students.
The question is, what would Goa University gain in this disparity? It’s a strategic move to improve the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) score and institutional diversity within the NEP 2020 framework. Goa University has been performing poorly in the NIRF ranking, which has “Outreach and Inclusivity” as one of its parameters. It has fallen from the 96th position in 2021 to the 150th slot in 2024-25. Moreover, an internal study of the University had pointed to an “institutional weakness” and mentioned plans to look beyond borders to increase student base and international profile. Upscaling out-of-state students is intended to boost those metrics, rather than the revenue it could gain from the fee differential, which is higher for non-Goan students.
NIRF ranking acts as a powerful "reputational currency" that directly impacts funding, growth, and long-term sustainability. A high score gets priority for research grants and government sponsorships, besides being the primary criterion for eligibility for the Institution of Eminence (IoE) scheme, which can grant universities up to Rs 1,000 crores in funding, add to this greater academic autonomy. The NIRF ranking is also crucial for students and their careers since it has global recognition. On the flip side, the ranking framework provides detailed feedback on internal weaknesses, allowing the university to course-correct.
On the face of it, the University may argue that the 35 seats are “supernumerary” and are created in addition to the base capacity allocated to Goan students, which technically means that the Varsity is not cutting down on seats reserved for Goans. However, the "supernumerary" concept ignores the structural disadvantage locals face when outsiders make up a clear majority of the setup. The question one may ask here: why not reverse the quota to 35 for Goans?
No doubt the University has been facing flak over the drop in ranking, with the members of the Opposition terming the institution as an “Island of Unaccountability” with policies not aligning with the interests of Goans. Such an inward-looking approach that compromises on the academic growth of local students defeats the core objectives of serving as a learning hub. Diversity may be good for the health of the institution, but it should not be achieved by denying locals an opportunity in their own State.
If this is all about attaining a better NIRF score, the Goa University can explore other parameters. For example, the Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR) has a 30 per cent weightage and revolves around faculty-student ratio, permanent appointments and faculty with doctoral degree. The Research and Professional Practice (RP) contributes 30 per cent with focus on quality of publications, patents and projects. Graduation outcomes contribute 20 per cent, while Perception carries 10 per cent and involves brand building with active engagement with academic peers and others. Outreach and Inclusivity contribute 10 per cent.
As of April 2026, the 15/35 split has been retained by the University, side-stepping all criticism. The Executive Council, the principal executive body of the University, the Vice-Chancellor or the State government would do well to revisit the decision, open it up to wider consultation, and arrive at a more balanced framework. Because if higher education is meant to empower, it has to begin at home.
