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Journalism of Courage
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 rankings have been released and in the top open-learning universities list, IGNOU has retained the top spot coming at rank 1. It is followed by Karnataka State Open University, Mysore, in Karnataka, at second place, and UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad, in Uttar Pradesh, at third.
Notably, compared to last year’s list two new universities have entered the list of top open universities announced this year. However, the total tally of universities mentioned in the rankings remains at three.
| Name | City | State | Rank |
| Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) | New Delhi | Delhi | 1 |
| Karnataka State Open University, Mysore | Mysore | Karnataka | 2 |
| UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad | Prayagraj (Allahabad) | Uttar Pradesh | 3 |
When compared with last year’s list, IGNOU continues to remain at the top, holding its position at rank 1. However, the two new universities that have entered the 2025 list, have replaced last year’s second- and third-ranked institutions.
| Name | City | State | Rank |
| Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) | New Delhi | Delhi | 1 |
| Netaji Subhash Open University | Kolkata | West Bengal | 2 |
| Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University | Ahmedabad | Gujarat | 3 |
In 2024, Netaji Subhash Open University, Kolkata, and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad, were ranked second and third respectively, but they do not feature in the 2025 rankings.
As mainstream universities and institutes offering regular degree and diploma courses remain the first choice for most students, there has been a steady rise in the acceptance of distance and online education, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The shift toward flexible and accessible learning pushed many students to explore open and online universities, and perhaps in recognition of this trend, the NIRF introduced a dedicated ranking category for open universities in the previous year’s rankings.
In the overall rankings category of the NIRF 2025 rankings, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Kanpur securing the top spots among higher education institutes in the country this year. These institutes continue to dominate the overall rankings, reflecting their consistent academic, research, and innovation excellence.
