IIT Madras tops NIRF rankings for 7th consecutive year
What's the story
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has once again topped the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 in both the "Overall" and "Engineering" categories. In the 'overall' category, the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, came second; IIT Bombay, third; and IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur got the fourth and fifth ranks, respectively.
University leaders
IISc Bengaluru named best university in India
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru has been named the best university in India for 2025. The Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, is second on the list. Other top universities include Manipal Academy of Higher Education (third), Jamia Millia Islamia (fourth), and University of Delhi (fifth). Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Birla Institute of Technology & Science Pilani, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Coimbatore also feature in the top 10 universities.
Colleges
Hindu College best college
Among colleges, Hindu College in Delhi retained its top rank, followed by Miranda House, Hans Raj College, Kirori Mal College, St. Stephen's College, and Rama Krishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College. Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College came seventh, St. Xavier's College came eighth, and PSGR Krishnammal College for Women and PSG College of Arts and Science came ninth and 10th, respectively.
Evaluation criteria
NIRF framework evaluates institutions on 5 broad parameters
The NIRF framework evaluates institutions on five broad parameters: Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practice (RP), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Perception (PR). TLR measures faculty-student ratio and resources available for teaching. RP evaluates research output and professional academic practices. GO assesses student performance in university examinations and placement success. OI judges efforts toward inclusivity, while PR gages the institution's reputation among employers and peers.