Measurement of Super Efficiency for Management Colleges in India: A Case Study

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study is to measure the technical efficiency of 20 management colleges listed in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the academic years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The analysis evaluates how efficiently these institutions transform multiple inputs (e.g., student strength, faculty-student ratio) into outputs (e.g., research output, graduation outcomes) using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models.
Methods: Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was employed using the CCR (Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes) and BCC (Banker, Charnes, and Cooper) models. Inputs considered were 'Student Strength Including Ph.D. Students (SS)', 'Faculty-Student Ratio (FSR)', 'Faculty with PhD and Experience (FQE)', and 'Financial Resources and their Utilization (FRU)', while outputs were Research and Professional Practice (RP), Graduation Outcomes (GO), and Peer Perception (PR). The analysis calculated technical efficiency (under the assumption of Output orientation of Constant Returns to Scale), pure technical efficiency (under the assumption Output orientation of Variable Returns to Scale) and Super efficiency (under the assumption of CRS).
Findings: The findings show that out of the 20 management colleges analyzed, 8 colleges consistently demonstrated technical efficiency scores across all years under the CCR model. In contrast, 12 institutions exhibited inefficiencies in resource utilization, with efficiency scores below unity in at least two years. The top-performing institution achieved a super-efficiency score of 1.454 in overall four years average, indicating its superior ability to utilize inputs compared to peers. The study also found a slight year-on-year improvement in efficiency for several institutions,
Novelty: This study is unique in applying DEA models to four years of NIRF data, allowing for a robust comparative assessment of efficiency across multiple time frames. By identifying specific areas where colleges underperform in resource utilization, the study offers actionable insights for improving operational efficiency in higher education.