Impact of Accreditation and Rankings on Indian Business Schools
J. Madegowda
Department of Business Administration,Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, India
madegowdaj1@gmail.com)
Volume 20: 2025, pp. 433-450; ABSTRACT
Accreditation and rankings have become critical instruments in shaping the quality,
credibility, and global visibility of Indian business schools (B-schools). This paper offers a
comprehensive evaluation of the impact of national and international accreditation agencies on the
academic and institutional standing of B-schools. It also explores the influence of rankings,
especially the National Institutional Ranking Framework and global systems like Quacquarelli
Symonds and Financial Times, on institutional strategy, student preferences, faculty development,
and industry engagement. The study discusses how these evaluative frameworks drive
improvements in curriculum design, faculty quality, infrastructure, and employability outcomes.
While highlighting the benefits, it critically examines the challenges associated with bureaucratic
rigidity, research-centric biases in rankings, and ethical dilemmas linked to data manipulation.
Furthermore, the paper reflects on the evolving landscape shaped by the National Education Policy
2020, outcome-based education, and artificial intelligence-driven assessment systems, offering
forward-looking strategies for B-schools to improve their global competitiveness.
Keywords: accreditation, B-school rankings, global competitiveness, management education,
NAAC, NBA, NIRF.
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