New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has secured the top position in the overall and engineering categories for the seventh and tenth consecutive years, respectively, in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Rankings 2025, released by the Ministry of Education on Thursday (Sept 2,2025).
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru retained its position as the top university and research institution, while the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi led the medical category for the eighth consecutive year. In the management category, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad maintained its top spot for the sixth year. Hindu College, New Delhi, emerged as the top college, surpassing Miranda House, which had previously held the position.
Also Read: NIRF ranking: IIT, Madras tops list, ISM, Dhanbad & IIT, Patna, in top 100
The NIRF Rankings 2025 represent the 10th iteration of India’s authoritative assessment of higher education institutions. Evaluating establishments across five core parameters—Teaching, Learning and Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practices (RPC), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Perception (PER)—this year’s rankings introduced a novel Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) category, expanding the total to 17 distinct categories. These encompass Overall, Universities, Colleges, Engineering, Management, Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, Law, Architecture and Planning, Agriculture and Allied Sectors, Innovation, Open Universities, Skill Universities, State Public Universities, and Research Institutions.
Highlights of NIRF Rankings 2025
With participation surging to over 10,000 institutions—up from 10,845 in 2024—the rankings underscore heightened involvement in this national benchmark. Innovations include negative marking for retracted publications to uphold research ethics. Nonetheless, transparency issues surfaced via a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Madras High Court, accusing some institutions of data fabrication in areas like research funding, faculty compensation, and enrollment figures. This prompted a brief suspension of the release, resolved prior to the official announcement.
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Top Institutions in NIRF 2025 – Overall Category
The elite tier in the Overall category features:
1. IIT Madras
2. IISc Bengaluru
3. IIT Bombay
4. IIT Delhi
5. IIT Kanpur
6. IIT Kharagpur
7. IIT Roorkee
8. AIIMS Delhi
9. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi
10. Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi
Top Engineering Colleges
IITs maintained their stronghold in Engineering, with the top 10 comprising:
1. IIT Madras
2. IIT Delhi
3. IIT Bombay
4. IIT Kanpur
5. IIT Kharagpur
6. IIT Roorkee
7. IIT Guwahati
8. IIT Hyderabad
9. NIT Tiruchirappalli
10. IIT (BHU) Varanasi
Also Read: IISc, Bengaluru, listed among to 201-250 varsities in global ranking
Top Universities
Leading universities are:
1. IISc Bengaluru
2. JNU, New Delhi
3. Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
4. Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
5. Delhi University, New Delhi
Top Management Colleges
The Management standings highlight:
1. IIM Ahmedabad
2. IIM Bangalore
3. IIM Kozhikode
4. IIT Delhi
5. IIM Calcutta
Top Medical Colleges
Medical excellence is exemplified by:
1. AIIMS Delhi
2. PGIMER, Chandigarh
3. Christian Medical College, Vellore
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Rankings of Institutes in Bihar and Jharkhand
While not dominating the upper echelons, institutions from Bihar and Jharkhand have carved out respectable positions in the NIRF 2025 rankings, showcasing regional progress in higher education. Here’s a focused breakdown:
Bihar
Patna University (PU): Making its NIRF debut in 2024 within the 601–800 band in the Overall category, it sustains a similar placement in 2025, reflecting steady but modest standing.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna: Securing the 34th spot in the Engineering category, IIT Patna stands as Bihar’s flagship technical institute, demonstrating consistent excellence.
Also Read:After AIIMS’ fiasco, Bihar govt okays mega plan to develop DMCH
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Patna: Ranked 25th in the Medical category, AIIMS Patna continues to build its stature in healthcare education and research.
Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) and Nalanda University feature in lower bands, such as 101–150 in Law and Overall/University categories, respectively, highlighting emerging potential.
Jharkhand
Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad: A standout performer, ranking 13th in Engineering, 44th Overall, and 7th in Innovation, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad excels in mining, technology, and entrepreneurial initiatives.
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XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur: Holding the 9th position in Management, XLRI remains a beacon for business education in the region.
Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) Mesra, Ranchi: Positioned at 46th in Engineering and 71st Overall, BIT Mesra contributes robustly to technical and applied sciences.
National Institute of Technology (NIT) Jamshedpur: Ranked 43rd in Engineering, NIT Jamshedpur bolsters Jharkhand’s engineering ecosystem with solid academic and industry ties.
Challenges and Controversies
The 2025 rankings encountered backlash through the aforementioned PIL, which spotlighted alleged data manipulation and the absence of rigorous third-party audits. Although the High Court initially paused the release, the rankings proceeded post-clarifications, emphasizing the imperative for enhanced data validation to safeguard the framework’s integrity.
The NIRF Rankings 2025 underscore the enduring leadership of powerhouses like IIT Madras, IISc Bengaluru, and IIM Ahmedabad, while incorporating forward-thinking elements such as sustainability metrics and ethical research penalties. In Bihar and Jharkhand, entities including IIT Patna, AIIMS Patna, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, XLRI Jamshedpur, and BIT Mesra exemplify regional vitality, often ranking beyond the top 10 yet playing pivotal roles in local development. IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and XLRI Jamshedpur particularly shine in their domains of engineering/innovation and management. For comprehensive details, explore the official NIRF portal at (https://www.nirfindia.org).
