NIRF Rankings 2025 Highlights: India’s best institutes – IIT Madras secures top rank, IIM-Ahmedabad, AIIMS Delhi, NALSAR

As per the NIRF 2025 Rankings:

Rank 1: Hindu College, Delhi

Rank 2: Miranda House, Delhi

Rank 3: Hans Raj College, Delhi

Rank 4: Kirori Mal College, Delhi

Rank 5: St. Stephen’s College, Delhi

AIIMS New Delhi has continued its dominance in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, retaining the top spot in the medical category for more than a decade. AIIMS also grabbed rank 8 in the overall category. The latest rankings were announced by the Ministry of Education at a press conference led by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, secured the second position, while Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, was ranked third.

1. Jadavpur University, West Bengal

2. Anna University, Tamil Nadu

3. Panjab University, Chandigarh

4. Andhra University, Andhra Pradesh

5. Kerala University, Kerala

6. Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala

7. Osmania University, Telangana

8. University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir

9. Gauhati University, Assam

10. Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu

Institutions are evaluated on groups of parameters including Teaching, Learning and Resources; Research and Professional Practice; Graduation Outcome; Outreach and Inclusivity; Perception. This is the tenth edition of the rankings, ranking around 7692 institutions, up from 2426 institutions in the first edition.

Institutions are ranked in a total of 17 categories this year, up from 16 last year. Apart from the overall ranking and rankings of universities and colleges, engineering, medical, dental, law, and management institutions, the new category this year is for sustainable development goals. This evaluates institutions on the basis of their ‘green’ practices.

Here are the top institutes listed under the NIRF 2025 Skill University Rankings:

– Symbiosis Skills and Professional University (formerly Symbiosis Skill and Open University), Pune, Maharashtra

– Symbiosis University of Applied Sciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh

– Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Palwal, Haryana

NIRF 2025 Rankings -- List of top colleges

Rank 1: Hindu College, Delhi

Rank 2: Miranda House, Delhi

Rank 3: Hans Raj College, Delhi

Rank 4: Kirori Mal College, Delhi

Rank 5: St. Stephen’s College, Delhi

This year’s rankings have been released across 17 categories – overall, SDGs institutes, universities, colleges, research institutions, engineering, management, pharmacy, medical, dental, law, architecture and planning, agriculture and allied sectors, open universities, skill universities, and state public universities.

The NIRF 2025 engineering rankings highlight the dominance of the IITs, with 9 IITs, including IIT Roorkee, in the list. Southern institutions such as IIT Madras, IIT Hyderabad, and NIT Tiruchirappalli continue to strengthen their presence among India’s best engineering colleges.

The NIRF rankings are determined using weighted parameters that vary by category, but broadly cover teaching, learning and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity; and peer perception.

For the eighth consecutive year, the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, secured the top spot in the ‘Best-Performing Law Colleges’ category of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). The Ministry of Education today announced the list of top institutes today.

Like last year, NLSIU Bangalore is followed by National Law University (Delhi) and NALSAR University of Law (Hyderabad) at the second and third positions. The fourth spot has been secured by Kolkata’s West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences,  while Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar, stands at fifth place in the rankings.

AIIMS New Delhi has continued its dominance in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, retaining the top spot in the medical category for more than a decade. AIIMS also grabbed rank 8 in the overall category. The latest rankings were announced by the Ministry of Education at a press conference led by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, secured the second position, while Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, was ranked third.

Congratulating the Institute on its performance, Prof. M.P. Gupta, Director, IIM Lucknow, said, “IIM Lucknow’s performance in the NIRF 2025 Rankings highlights our ongoing commitment to academic excellence and societal impact. This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty, students, staff, and alumni in building a dynamic learning environment. IIM Lucknow sees this achievement as a stepping stone toward even greater goals. Our focus remains on advancing high-quality research, fostering industry collaboration, enhancing student experience, and deepening global engagement. We are committed to strengthening IIM Lucknow’s role as a leading institution that not only contributes to management education in India but also resonates on the world stage.”

The NIRF rankings are determined using weighted parameters that vary by category, but broadly cover teaching, learning and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity; and peer perception.

Among Universities, IISc Bangalore retained its top spot for the tenth year in a row. Since the first edition of these rankings in 2016, IISc Bangalore has bagged the top rank in this category each year. JNU ranked second, retaining its rank from last year. Delhi University ranked fifth this year, climbing up from sixth last year.

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has secured the Number 1 position in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 in the Open Universities category, reaffirming its role as a pioneer in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online education in India.

Reacting to this remarkable achievement, Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU, expressed her gratitude to all members of the IGNOU fraternity. “This milestone has been made possible by the dedicated efforts of our faculty, academic, and non-academic staff. At IGNOU, our mission remains clear — to provide affordable, quality education to everyone, everywhere. Going forward, we will strengthen our focus on leveraging digital and technological tools to ensure ease of accessibility, even in the remotest parts of the country. We will continue to expand the use of vernacular languages, multimedia, video-based resources, and blended learning approaches so that education reaches learners in the most inclusive and learner-friendly manner.”

IIM Sambalpur has achieved a remarkable milestone by securing the 34th rank in NIRF 2025, marking a significant leap of sixteen positions. This accomplishment reflects the institute’s rapid progress in teaching, research, graduation outcomes, and perception, the institute in a statement said.

Director Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal credited the success to academic excellence, innovation, and inclusiveness. The institute has launched its global accreditation journey with AACSB and is aiming for the prestigious ‘Triple Crown’ status. With strong industry collaborations, global partnerships, and sustainability initiatives, IIM Sambalpur is emerging as one of India’s fastest-growing IIMs, rooted in innovation, integrity, and inclusiveness, it added.

NIRF 2025 Rankings: List of top colleges

Rank 1: Hindu College, Delhi

Rank 2: Miranda House, Delhi

Rank 3: Hans Raj College, Delhi

Rank 4: Kirori Mal College, Delhi

Rank 5: St. Stephen’s College, Delhi

Rank 6: Rama Krishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Kolkata

Rank 7: Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College, New Delhi

Rank 8: St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata

Rank 9: PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, Coimbatore

Rank 10: PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore

Read | Hindu College retains top spot in College category; Hans Raj, Kirori Mal break into top 5: NIRF 2025 Rankings

Here are the top 10 institutes from the NIRF 2025 Innovation Rankings:

Here are the top institutes featured in the NIRF 2025 Open University Rankings:

Here are the top institutes listed under the NIRF 2025 Skill University Rankings:

- Symbiosis Skills and Professional University (formerly Symbiosis Skill and Open University), Pune, Maharashtra

- Symbiosis University of Applied Sciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh

- Shri Vishwakarma Skill University, Palwal, Haryana

The Ministry of Education (MoE) Thursday released the NIRF India Rankings 2025 for 17 categories, including colleges, with Hindu College maintaining its top position for the second consecutive year. Miranda House followed in second place, while Hans Raj College and Kirori Mal College made debut entries into the top five, signaling a reshaping of Delhi University’s hierarchy.

In 2025, six of the top seven colleges are DU institutions — Hindu, Miranda, Hans Raj, Kirori Mal, St Stephen’s, and Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm.

1. Jadavpur University, West Bengal

2. Anna University, Tamil Nadu

3. Panjab University, Chandigarh

4. Andhra University, Andhra Pradesh

5. Kerala University, Kerala

6. Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kerala

7. Osmania University, Telangana

8. University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir

9. Gauhati University, Assam

10. Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu

11. Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala

12. University of Madras, Tamil Nadu

13. Gauhati University, Assam

14. University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir

15. Delhi Technological University, Delhi

16. Bharathidasan University, Tamil Nadu

17. Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu

18. Mumbai University, Maharashtra

19. Mysore University, Karnataka

20. Acharya Nagarjuna University, Andhra Pradesh

21. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi

22. Visvesvaraya Technological University, Karnataka

23. University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir

24. Bangalore University, Karnataka

25. Periyar University, Tamil Nadu

26. Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu

27. King George's Medical University, Uttar Pradesh

28. Dibrugarh University, Assam

29. Gujarat University, Gujarat

30. Shivaji University, Maharashtra

31. Utkal University, Odisha

32. Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Uttarakhand

33. Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Chhattisgarh

34. Vikram University, Madhya Pradesh

35. Sardar Patel University, Gujarat

36. North-Eastern Hill University, Meghalaya

37. Ranchi University, Jharkhand

38. Tripura University, Tripura

39. Barkatullah University, Madhya Pradesh

40. Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Gujarat

41. Maharshi Dayanand University, Haryana

42. Jai Narain Vyas University, Rajasthan

43. Bundelkhand University, Uttar Pradesh

44. Dr. Harisingh Gour University, Madhya Pradesh

45. Bilaspur University, Chhattisgarh

46. Guru Nanak Dev University, Punjab

47. Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Uttar Pradesh

48. Kurukshetra University, Haryana

49. Kalyani University, West Bengal

50. Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Maharashtra

1. Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

2. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, Delhi

3. Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Delhi

4. S.R.M. Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

5. Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka

6. Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand

7. Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Delhi

8. Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi

9. National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela, Odisha

10. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Reacting to this achievement, Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU, expressed her gratitude to all members of the IGNOU fraternity. “This milestone has been made possible by the dedicated efforts of our faculty, academic, and non-academic staff. At IGNOU, our mission remains clear — to provide affordable, quality education to everyone, everywhere. Going forward, we will strengthen our focus on leveraging digital and technological tools to ensure ease of accessibility, even in the remotest parts of the country. We will continue to expand the use of vernacular languages, multimedia, video-based resources, and blended learning approaches so that education reaches learners in the most inclusive and learner-friendly manner.”

Speaking on this achievement, Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, said , “At IIMA, we remain committed to nurturing management leaders and innovators who can address the challenges of a rapidly changing world. It is a matter of great pride for us to be recognised as the best management institute in India for the sixth consecutive year by the Ministry of Education’s NIRF 2025 rankings. This achievement also reflects the unwavering commitment of our faculty, students, and alumni towards academic excellence, impactful research, and meaningful contributions to society. Our strong focus on research and innovation continues to shape new ideas and solutions that influence both academia and industry, while reinforcing IIMA’s role as a thought leader in management education.”

Congratulating the students, faculty, alumni and non-teaching staff for their hard work, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “Being a topper consistently is a result of a collective, cohesive and focused team effort. Thanking the Almighty for blessing us with such a wonderful team. Together, we pledge to put in our best efforts towards Viksit Bharat@2047.”

IIM Ahmedabad is the number 1 management college in India, as per the latest National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, released today. Just like in the previous year, IIM Bangalore has secured the second position, while IIM Kozhikode claimed the third spot, reflecting the continued dominance of IIMs in the management category.

Continuing its winning streak, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has grabbed the number one position in the engineering category, followed by IIT-Delhi and IIT-Bombay, respectively. IIT Hyderabad claimed the seventh spot, ahead of IIT Guwahati at eighth. NIT Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) is the only NIT to feature in the top 10 this year, ranked ninth, while IIT (BHU) Varanasi rounded off the list at tenth position.

The rankings highlight the continued dominance of the IITs in technical education, with NIT Trichy standing out as the only non-IIT institution to break into the elite list.

IIT Madras bagged the top NIRF rank for the seventh consecutive year in the overall category, with five other IITs featuring in this year’s top 10 ranks. The IITs, along with AIIMS Delhi, JNU, and IISc Bangalore, have traditionally dominated the top 10 ranks in the Ministry of Education’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

Among Universities, IISc Bangalore retained its top spot for the tenth year in a row. Since the first edition of these rankings in 2016, IISc Bangalore has bagged the top rank in this category each year. JNU ranked second, retaining its rank from last year. Delhi University ranked fifth this year, climbing up from sixth last year.

This year’s rankings have been released across 17 categories – overall, SDGs institutes, universities, colleges, research institutions, engineering, management, pharmacy, medical, dental, law, architecture and planning, agriculture and allied sectors, open universities, skill universities, and state public universities.