SYLLABUS

GS-2: Issues relating to the development and management of Education.

Context:

Recently, the Union Ministry for Education released the findings of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025.

Key Highlights of the 2025 Rankings

• IIT Madras retains the top position in the Overall category for the seventh consecutive year and also remains the country’s best engineering college for the tenth straight year.
• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, topped the Universities category for the tenth consecutive year and also stood first in the Research Institutions category for the fifth consecutive year. 
• IIM Ahmedabad was the best institution for Management studies for the sixth consecutive year.
• The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, occupied the top slot among Medical institutions for the eighth consecutive year and also topped the rankings in the Dental category for the first time.
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee leads in Architecture and Planning, while the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, retained its first position in Law for the eighth consecutive year.
• Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, remains the leader in Agriculture and Allied Sectors.
• Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, is the best place for studying Pharmacy, while Hindu College in Delhi secured the first rank among Colleges for the second consecutive year. 

The new parameters and changes introduced for India Rankings 2025 are as follows:

• Introduction of a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) category (topped by IIT Madras) to evaluate Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on their contributions towards sustainability, environmental responsibility, and societal impact.
• Expanded focus on equity, inclusivity, and research quality in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

About the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)

• NIRF was approved and launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education) on 29 September 2015.
• This is the 10^th consecutive edition of India Rankings of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in India.

This year, awards were given in 9 categories and 8 subject domains.

• Over a decade, NIRF has expanded from 1 category and 3 domains (2016) to 9 categories and 8 domains (2025). 

Rankings are based on five broad parameters: 

• Teaching, Learning & Resources (30%), 
• Research & Professional Practice (30%), 
• Graduation Outcomes (20%), 
• Outreach & Inclusivity (10%), and 
• Perception (10%).
• Data sources include self-reported institutional data, third-party sources (Scopus, Web of Science, Derwent Innovation), and bibliometric indicators.

Significance of the Rankings

• The ranking serves as a reliable national benchmark for assessing academic quality, research performance, and institutional reputation across India’s higher education landscape.
• It encourages institutions to improve accreditation, global competitiveness, and employability outcomes.
• It highlights India’s progress towards becoming a global knowledge hub by improving quality, inclusivity, and sustainability in higher education.
• It facilitates the creation of innovation-driven, entrepreneurship-focused campuses.
• The ranking encourages healthy competition among HEIs, leading to continuous improvement in teaching, research, and campus facilities.

Source
Indian Express
Pib
Nirf India