Controversy Erupts Over Allegations of Data Manipulation at Hansraj College

A controversy has arisen at Hansraj College, part of Delhi University, following allegations of data manipulation related to its submission for the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). The college recently secured the third position among colleges in India, prompting scrutiny of its reported faculty numbers.

An anonymous letter, dated November 28, was sent to the chairman of the college’s governing body, alleging that an internal study found “evident manipulation of faculty data.” The letter claims that the college reported a significant and unexplained increase of approximately 100 faculty members over recent years. It suggests that non-existent teachers may have been added to improve the college’s ranking, as the student-teacher ratio is a crucial metric in the NIRF assessment.

The letter further alleges that the college’s NIRF submission included twenty fictitious employees, fifty ad hoc or guest lecturers not serving in the academic years 2024-2025, and at least five retired faculty members. Under NIRF methodology, only regular faculty and certain contractual staff count in the student-teacher ratio calculations. The letter accuses the college of “fudging data” for the past three years, pointing to discrepancies in the number of faculty reported in NIRF submissions: 311 in 2023, 334 in 2024, and 316 in 2025, while the sanctioned strength stands at 219 posts.

Principal Defends College Against Accusations

In response to the allegations, Rama Sharma, the Principal of Hansraj College, has categorically dismissed the claims. “This is an anonymous letter. Whoever has written it should come to us, look at the data, and tell us if they have a problem. It seems like an attempt to defame the college,” she stated.

She emphasized that the NIRF submission was prepared by an eight to nine-member committee and was submitted in strict accordance with the guidelines outlined by NIRF. “All required fields, documentary proofs, and quantitative indicators were furnished as per the relevant assessment year,” Ms. Sharma added.

The anonymous letter has also been forwarded to officials at the Education Ministry, intensifying the scrutiny around the college’s ranking. Meanwhile, Hansraj College’s website prominently displays its achievement of ranking third in the nation, which may be under increased investigation following these allegations.

The unfolding situation has raised questions about the integrity of institutional data reporting and the competitive pressure on colleges to secure high rankings in national assessments.