New Delhi, Apr 5 (IT) : JNU, which has been at the centre of a major row over a controversial event and the subsequent arrest of Kumar, is ahead of all other central universities while Central University of Hyderabad, which has been rocked by protests after the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, is placed fourth.

Various student leaders in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which featured in the list of top ranking institutions in the country by the Centre, said it was ironical that the varsity was being recognised for its autonomy.

On Monday, the HRD minister Smriti Irani released the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) covering 3,500 different institutes in four categories. JNU, which has been at the centre of a major row over a controversial event and the subsequent arrest of Kumar, is ahead of all other central universities while Central University of Hyderabad, which has been rocked by protests after the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, is placed fourth.

"This hasn't come as a surprise to us because JNU has always been ranked among top institutions. What is ironical is that the university has been awarded the top ranking for its autonomy by the ministry which has been trying to attack us for months. We are thankful to the minister for this ironical certification. It will satisfy many who are concerned about taxpayers' money being wasted by students," Kumar said.
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JNUSU General Secretary Rama Naga said the rankings are ironical. "They (government) target our autonomy and later certify us for being among the top autonomous institutions," Naga said.