TNI Digital Bureau: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) India Rankings 2025 on Thursday, with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras retaining the top position in the overall category for the seventh consecutive year. The rankings, introduced in 2016, now cover nine categories and eight subject domains.
This year, more than 14,000 institutions participated, reflecting the framework’s growing importance in assessing quality and inclusivity in higher education. The rankings are based on five parameters: teaching, learning and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcome; outreach and inclusivity; and perception.
In the overall list, IIT Madras stood first, followed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru and IIT Bombay. Among universities, IISc Bengaluru retained its first position for the tenth year, ahead of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Hindu College, Delhi, topped the colleges category for the second year, replacing Miranda House, which held the position from 2017 to 2023.
In subject-specific rankings, IIT Madras led engineering for the tenth consecutive year, while IIM Ahmedabad ranked first in management. AIIMS Delhi continued at the top in the medical category and also secured the first position in dental for the first time. Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, retained its lead in pharmacy, while IIT Roorkee maintained the top position in architecture and planning. The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, stayed first in law, while the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, led agriculture and allied sectors.
Newer categories also saw consistent leaders. IGNOU, New Delhi, topped among open universities, while Symbiosis Skills and Professional University, Pune, led skill universities. Jadavpur University, Kolkata, ranked first among state public universities. For the first time, IIT Madras topped the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) category.
According to official data, the number of unique applicants for rankings grew from 2,426 in 2016 to 7,692 in 2025, while total applications rose from 3,565 to 14,163. Institutions are ranked up to the top 100 in most categories, with additional rank bands used where applicable. The steady rise in participation indicates the acceptance of NIRF as a transparent and credible framework in Indian higher education.