India has 700 degree-granting institutions, over 35 thousand affiliated colleges and 20 million student enrollment each year and yet, the industry is plagued in unemployment and graduates who lack the skills to compete the in the global sphere. This is an issue that has troubled the HRD ministry for a while. In the coming year the ministry is launching a pan Indian survey which will categorize institutes based on merit. The survey is said to bring a new era of accountability, however, there are skeptic who also believe that we may become fish in a pond and never be able to swim in the ocean. The survey may boost the impression of Indian institutions in India by Indian experts however there will be no basis for comparison with the international institutions. The real question is can we rely on our Indian Educational Ecosystem for self improvement? Only time will tell.

This edition of Higher Education Review presents Education Institutes of the Year, 2015, which is an annual listing of institutes that are doing well in their respective domains of expertise. There is an institute that is fairly young and operating in the niche domain of Luxury Brand management. There is an institution that is offering apprenticeship in the age old science of Medicine and many more institutions that are displaying their forte. Our expert team consisting of top HR managers and Educationalists, evaluated hundreds of nominations we received to come up with a comprehensive set of Institutions in the country that have performed well in parameters such as Infrastructure, Faculty, Industry interaction, Innovative programs, Research and Placements. We have categorized each entry by understanding the institute's key strength. The issue also features key views and insights of industry leaders on fundamental issues and trends that prevail in the industry.

We hope this proves to be beneficial to you.