NIRF Ranking 2025: Overall Category
| College Name | Score | Rank |
| Indian Institute of Technology Madras | 87.31 | 1 |
| Indian Institute of Science | 85 | 2 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | 81.62 | 3 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Delhi | 80.67 | 4 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur | 77.25 | 5 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur | 73.99 | 6 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee | 71.73 | 7 |
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi | 70.57 | 8 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | 69.62 | 9 |
| Banaras Hindu University | 68.71 | 10 |
Also Read: NIRF Medical Ranking 2025: AIIMS Delhi Bags No.1 Spot for 8th Consecutive Year
India Rankings Overall 2025: Year-Wise Comparison
| College Name | 2024 Rank | 2025 Rank | Position Change |
| Indian Institute of Technology Madras | 1 | 1 | No change |
| Indian Institute of Science | 2 | 2 | No change |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | 3 | 3 | No change |
| Indian Institute of Technology Delhi | 4 | 4 | No change |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur | 5 | 5 | No change |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur | 6 | 6 | No change |
| Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee | 8 | 7 | +1 |
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi | 7 | 8 | -1 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | 10 | 9 | +1 |
| Banaras Hindu University | 11 | 10 | +1 |
Also Read: NIRF College Rankings 2025 – Hindu College Tops Yet Again
NIRF Overall Rankings 2025: Key Observations
In 2025, over 14,000 institutions participated in the NIRF overall category, with 200 securing a spot in the rankings. Here are the key observations:
- Unshakable Leadership: IIT Madras retains its No. 1 position with a score of 87.31, driven by its world-class research facilities, industry collaborations, and focus on interdisciplinary education in areas like artificial intelligence and sustainable energy.
- Consistent Performers: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru holds the 2nd spot with a score of 85.00, maintaining its stronghold due to its pioneering research contributions.
- Stable Top Tier: The top six positions remain unchanged, showcasing the dominance of IITs in technical and academic excellence.
- Notable Movers: Banaras Hindu University climbed one spot to enter the top 10, reflecting its growing multidisciplinary strength. Conversely, AIIMS Delhi slipped one position to 8th, despite its strong performance in medical education.
- Geographical Diversity: The top 10 institutions span multiple states, including Tamil Nadu (IIT Madras), Karnataka (IISc), Maharashtra (IIT Bombay), Delhi (IIT Delhi, AIIMS, JNU), Uttar Pradesh (IIT Kanpur, BHU), West Bengal (IIT Kharagpur), and Uttarakhand (IIT Roorkee), highlighting NIRF’s national scope.
- Emerging Trends: The introduction of a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) category in NIRF 2025 reflects a growing emphasis on sustainability, with top institutions increasingly integrating green practices into their campuses.
India Rankings Overall 2025 – Evaluation Parameters & Weightage
The NIRF India Rankings 2025 assess institutions using a comprehensive set of parameters, each carrying a specific weightage to reflect critical aspects of academic excellence, research, inclusivity, and perception.
NIRF Ranking Key Evaluation Parameters
| Parameter | Marks | Weightage |
| Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR) | 100 | 30% |
| Research and Professional Practice (RP) | 100 | 30% |
| Graduation Outcomes (GO) | 100 | 20% |
| Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) | 100 | 10% |
| Perception (PR) | 100 | 10% |
Detailed Breakdown of Parameters
1. Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR)
This parameter evaluates the quality of academic resources and infrastructure:
- Student Strength (SS): 20 marks for total enrollment, including doctoral students.
- Faculty–Student Ratio (FSR): 30 marks for adequate faculty presence, emphasising permanent faculty.
- Faculty with PhD and Experience (FQE): 20 marks for highly qualified and experienced faculty.
- Financial Resources & Utilisation (FRU): 30 marks for effective use of financial resources in academics and infrastructure.
- Publications (PU): 40 marks for the quantity and quality of research publications.
- Quality of Publications (QP): 40 marks for citation impact and academic recognition.
- Projects, Professional Practice & Executive Development Programs (FPPP): 20 marks for funded projects, consultancy, and professional development.
3. Graduation Outcomes (GO)
- Placement & Higher Studies (GPH): 40 marks for employability and pursuit of advanced studies.
- University Examination Performance (GUE): 20 marks for academic success rates.
- Median Salary (GMS): 40 marks for average graduate remuneration.
4. Outreach and Inclusivity (OI)
- Regional Diversity (RD): 30 marks for representation of students from various states.
- Women Diversity (WD): 30 marks for gender inclusivity in student and faculty populations.
- Economically & Socially Challenged Students (ESCS): 20 marks for support to underprivileged students.
- Facilities for Physically Challenged Students (PCS): 20 marks for infrastructure for differently-abled students.
5. Perception (PR)
- Peer Perception (Employers & Academics): 100 marks based on reputation among academic peers and recruiters.
Also Read: NIRF 2025 University Rankings: IISc Bangalore Graciously Leads for 10th Year
How to Use NIRF Rankings for Admissions?
- Identify Top Institutions: Use NIRF rankings to shortlist colleges/universities that consistently perform well across teaching, research, placements, and outreach.
- Compare by Category: Check relevant categories (Overall, University, Engineering, Management, Medical, etc.) instead of relying only on the overall rank.
- Evaluate Key Parameters: Look beyond the rank – analyse scorecards for teaching & learning, graduation outcomes, and outreach to align with your academic and career goals.
- Cross-check with Cut-offs: Match NIRF ranks of shortlisted colleges with their past admission cut-offs to assess your realistic chances.
- Assess Reputation & Placements: Use “Graduation Outcomes” and “Perception” scores as indicators of placement quality and industry/peer recognition.
- Balance Aspirations & Safety: Apply to a mix of highly ranked aspirational institutions and moderately ranked backup options.
- Consider Location: Use NIRF filters to identify quality colleges within your preferred state/city.
- Factor in Scholarships & Opportunities: Higher-ranked institutes often attract more CSR/NGO scholarships, exchange programs, and research funding – an added advantage.
- Analyse Ranking Trends: Track how a college’s rank has evolved over the years to gauge consistency and growth.
- Combine with Other Sources: Supplement NIRF data with accreditations (NAAC, NBA) and authentic student reviews for a holistic admission decision.
NIRF Ranking 2025 – FAQs
How does NIRF determine the overall rankings for institutions in 2025?
The NIRF Overall Ranking 2025 evaluates institutions based on five key parameters: Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR, 30%), Research and Professional Practice (RP, 30%), Graduation Outcomes (GO, 20%), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI, 10%), and Perception (PR, 10%). Each parameter assesses specific aspects like faculty quality, research output, placement records, diversity, and institutional reputation among peers and employers. The weighted scores are combined to produce the final ranking.
Why does IIT Madras consistently rank No. 1 in the NIRF overall category?
IIT Madras has secured the top spot in the NIRF Overall Ranking for seven consecutive years due to its excellence across all parameters. It excels in teaching, learning & resources with a strong faculty-student ratio and robust infrastructure, leads in research and professional practice through high-impact publications and industry collaborations, and achieves strong graduation outcomes with excellent placement records. Its national and global reputation further boosts its perception score.
How can students use NIRF Overall Rankings to choose the right college?
Students can use NIRF rankings to compare institutions based on specific parameters like Graduation Outcomes for placement prospects, Outreach and Inclusivity for campus diversity, or Research and Professional Practice for academic rigour. Reviewing parameter scores, visiting college websites, and attending open houses can help students align their academic and career goals with the right institution.
Are private institutions featured in the NIRF Overall Ranking 2025 top 10?
The NIRF Overall Ranking 2025 top 10 is dominated by government institutions, including IIT Madras, IISc Bengaluru, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, AIIMS Delhi, JNU, and BHU. Private institutions like BITS Pilani or Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham often appear in the top 50 but are not present in the top 10 this year.
Which new category has been introduced in the NIRF 2025?
In NIRF 2025, a new category, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) has been introduced, reflecting a growing emphasis on sustainability. Under SDGs institutions are assessed in areas such as clean energy, climate action, inclusive education, gender equality, and sustainable cities, aligning with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda.
How does the NIRF Overall Ranking impact an institution’s reputation?
A high NIRF ranking enhances an institution’s credibility, attracting top faculty, research funding, and high-achieving students. It also boosts visibility among employers and international collaborators, positioning institutions like IIT Madras and IISc as global leaders. For students, a top-ranked institution often translates to better career opportunities and academic resources.
Which institutions showed the biggest improvements in the NIRF Overall Ranking 2025?
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) made a notable improvement, climbing one spot to enter the top 10 at rank 10. Other institutions like IIT Roorkee and JNU also improved by one position each.
How reliable are NIRF rankings for assessing college quality?
NIRF rankings are highly reliable as they are based on transparent, data-driven parameters verified by the Ministry of Education. They cover academic quality, research output, and inclusivity, providing a holistic view. However, students should also consider factors like course-specific strengths, campus culture, and location, which NIRF may not fully capture.
What role does the perception parameter play in NIRF rankings?
The perception parameter, weighted at 10%, measures an institution’s reputation among academic peers, employers, and stakeholders. It reflects subjective factors like brand value and industry trust. While it has a lower weight than teaching or research, a strong perception score, as seen with IIT Madras, can solidify an institution’s top ranking.