At the recent QS World University Rankings by Subject, three Indian institutions made it to the top ranks for Mineral & Mining Engineering. While the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad [abbreviated as IIT (ISM)], became the second highest ranked university at 26th rank, two public Institutes of Eminence (IoEs) made it to the top 50 with IIT Kharagpur securing 37th rank and IIT Bombay pegged at 39th position. Despite being a conventional discipline, Mineral & Mining Engineering managed to edge past the more contemporary branches of Computer Science and Electrical & Electronic Engineering for which IIT Delhi bagged 65th position and 56th rank respectively, sharing its 56th rank with IIT Bombay.

QS judges institutions in this category on the following metrics and weights: Academic Reputation 40%, Employer Reputation 30%, Citations 15%, H-Index 15%. All three institutions score above 80 in our citations per paper metric, highlighting the impact that the research is making in the discipline. IIT Kharagpur and IIT Bombay also benefit from high Employer Reputation scores (82.7 and 87 respectively), showing how well connected those institutions are to industry. Particularly in a subject like Mining Engineering, which assumes a vocational progression into relevant work postgraduation, it is vital that institutions in this area remain connected to the main industrial players, and enjoy recognition from the industrial sector, thus allowing opportunities for work experience and placements.

While the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad [abbreviated as IIT (ISM)], became the second highest ranked university at 26th rank, two public Institutes of Eminence (IoEs) made it to the top 50 with IIT Kharagpur securing 37th rank and IIT Bombay pegged at 39th position.

In case of IIT(ISM) its success is because of a strong Academic Reputation score in the field, more than its Employer Reputation. As this indicator accounts for 40% of the weight, this alone contributes to its high position in the ranking. AK Mishra, HoD Mining, IIT (ISM) believes it is the institute’s multi-disciplinary research culture following a ‘Hub and Spoke’ model in which Computer Science, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, etc. is utilized to broaden the research horizon that was a key factor. “That apart, students’ exposure to modem simulation & planning software, cyber physical systems, industry internships to gear them towards responsible mining of the earth and its resources which worked in the institute’s favor, he adds. Presently, the institute offers open electives, minor subjects, and dual degree programs with courses on Data Analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in mineral sector, mine automation, deep sea and asteroid mining to make the students future ready.