Complete Guide to NIRF Ranking Framework – List, Uses
The Ministry of Human Resource Department (MHRD) approved the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). It was launched on 29th September 2015 by the Honourable Minister of MHRD. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) acts as a guiding light, aiding students, educators, and policymakers in evaluating and selecting institutions. This comprehensive framework provides a detailed assessment of various parameters, offering a transparent ranking system across diverse educational domains.
What is the NIRF Ranking Framework?
The NIRF Framework outlines the systematic method of ranking institutions across the country. This is done after getting a broad understanding of the parameters. There is a core committee set up by MHRD to research and list down these factoring aspects to rank each university and institution.
The criteria include aspects such as:
- Teaching, Learning and Research (TLR)
- Research and Professional Practice (RP)
- Graduation Outcomes (GO)
- Outreach and inclusivity (OI)
- Peer Perception (PP)
These parameters have the following marks and weightings:
| Parameters | Marks | Weightage |
| Teaching, Learning & Research (TLR) | 100 | 0.30 |
| Research and Professional Practice (RP) | 100 | 0.30 |
| Graduation Outcomes (GO) | 100 | 0.20 |
| Outreach and inclusivity (OI) | 100 | 0.10 |
| Peer Perception (PP) | 100 | 0.10 |
NIRF ranking is a robust methodology designed to rank educational institutions based on predefined parameters. It aims to foster healthy competition, encourage excellence, and aid stakeholders in making informed decisions.
Importance of NIRF Rankings
Having a national ranking system for institutes and universities helps parents and students decide and choose the best universities to study. Having a governed setup also helps ensure that such institutions and universities work diligently to improve their rankings. It also motivates the education institutes to work towards providing quality education to all students. Ranking does not necessarily bestow only power, it also imposes a certain number of responsibilities, one of which is to offer an education that is at par with other premium international educational standards. NIRF rankings hold immense significance for students and parents, providing crucial insights into an institution’s overall performance, academic excellence, infrastructure, research output, and more. These rankings aid in informed decision-making, enabling individuals to choose institutions aligned with their aspirations and career goals.
The various reasons why NIRF is important can be explained with the following points:
Informed Decision-Making: For students and parents, choosing the right institution is a critical decision. NIRF rankings provide comprehensive insights into an institution’s overall performance, academic excellence, faculty quality, infrastructure, and research output. These rankings serve as a guiding tool, aiding individuals in making informed decisions aligned with their career aspirations.
Benchmark for Excellence: NIRF rankings establish a benchmark for excellence within the education sector. They recognize and highlight institutions that excel in various parameters, inspiring healthy competition among institutions. This competition encourages continuous improvement and drives institutions to strive for excellence in academics, research, and overall institutional development.
Enhancing Institutional Quality: Institutions endeavor to improve their rankings in the NIRF system by focusing on various parameters such as teaching methodologies, research output, infrastructure development, and industry collaborations. This focus on enhancement contributes to the overall improvement of the quality of education imparted by institutions.
Transparency and Accountability: The NIRF framework promotes transparency in evaluating institutions based on standardized parameters. This transparency fosters accountability among institutions to maintain and enhance the quality of education they offer. It allows stakeholders to assess an institution’s performance objectively.
Global Recognition and Collaboration: High rankings in the NIRF framework can enhance an institution’s global visibility and reputation. This recognition can attract collaborations, partnerships, and opportunities with international institutions, fostering a more diverse and enriched academic environment.
Policy Formation: NIRF rankings aid policymakers and education authorities in formulating strategic plans and policies for the education sector. These rankings provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of institutions, enabling policymakers to identify areas that require improvement and develop policies that promote excellence in higher education.
NIRF Methodology
The NIRF methodology emphasizes transparency, standardization, and comprehensive evaluation across diverse dimensions of institutional performance. It provides a holistic view of an institution’s strengths and areas for improvement, guiding stakeholders in understanding and assessing the quality and excellence of educational institutions in India.
The NIRF methodology encompasses several parameters, including Teaching, Learning & Resources, Research and Professional Practice, Graduation Outcomes, Outreach and Inclusivity, and Perception. These parameters form the basis for evaluation, ensuring a holistic assessment of institutions across various facets and encompasses several key components such as :
Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR): This parameter evaluates the quality of teaching, faculty-student ratio, student strength, and faculty qualifications. It assesses the availability and utilization of resources like libraries, laboratories, infrastructure, and the overall learning environment.
Research and Professional Practice (RP): NIRF assesses an institution’s research output, productivity, impact, and quality. This includes publications, patents filed, collaborative projects, and funding for research activities. The focus is on recognizing institutions contributing significantly to research and innovation.
Graduation Outcomes (GO): GO measures the overall effectiveness of an institution in facilitating successful graduate outcomes. It considers factors such as graduation rates, placement opportunities, employability, and the success of graduates in further education or career paths.
Outreach and Inclusivity (OI): This parameter evaluates an institution’s efforts in outreach activities, societal engagement, and inclusivity. NIRF considers the diversity of the student body, the percentage of women and economically challenged students, and programs promoting inclusivity and community engagement.
Perception (PR): The perception parameter gauges the academic and employer perception of an institution. NIRF collects feedback from peers, employers, and the general public to assess an institution’s reputation and standing in the academic and professional world.
Number of Universities & Institutions Covered in NIRF 2023 by Type
The NIRF 2023 rankings lists showcased the diversity and breadth of higher education in India, encompassing a multitude of universities and institutions across various domains. The extensive coverage of different types of institutions, such as the NIRF colleges list, NIRF medical colleges list, and NIRF engineering colleges list provides students, parents, and stakeholders with a comprehensive perspective on the quality and performance of educational institutions in the country. Over 5543 institutions were evaluated and ranked in the latest NIRF rankings, reflecting the comprehensive coverage and scope of the framework.
| Name of the University | City | State | Score | Rank |
| Indian Institute of Science | Bengaluru | Karnataka | 83.16 | 1 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | New Delhi | Delhi | 68.92 | 2 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | Delhi | 67.73 | 3 |
| Jadavpur University | Kolkata | West Bengal | 66.07 | 4 |
| Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh | 65.85 | 5 |
| Manipal Academy of Higher Education | Manipal | Karnataka | 64.98 | 6 |
| Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu | 64.67 | 7 |
| Vellore Institute of Technology | Vellore | Tamil Nadu | 64.33 | 8 |
| Aligarh Muslim University | Aligarh | Uttar Pradesh | 63.88 | 9 |
| University of Hyderabad | Hyderabad | Telangana | 62.09 | 10 |
NIRF Ranking List for Engineering Colleges, Medical Colleges, and Universities
The NIRF rankings lists are segmented into various categories, providing separate lists for engineering colleges, medical colleges, universities, and other domains. These lists offer detailed insights into the top-performing institutions within each category, aiding students in choosing institutions that align with their preferences.
Universities: The NIRF framework evaluated and ranked numerous universities across the country. These universities encompass a wide spectrum of disciplines, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in diverse fields such as science, arts, commerce, engineering, management, and more. The exact number of universities assessed under NIRF 2023 in this category reflects the broad range of higher education institutions in India. 150 universities were ranked in total in 2023 with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru which was ranked at the number one spot with a score of 83.16 while Vidyasagar University, Kolkata ranked 150.
Engineering Colleges
The NIRF ranking list extensively covered engineering colleges offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various engineering disciplines. These institutions were evaluated based on parameters such as academic excellence, research output, faculty quality, infrastructure, and industry collaborations. In 2023, the number one ranked engineering college was Indian Institute of Madras with a score of 89.79 while 150th rank was awarded to VELS Institute of Science Technology & Advanced Studies (Vistas), Chennai.
Medical Colleges:
NIRF assessed medical colleges and institutions providing courses in medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences. These colleges were evaluated on parameters related to academic quality, clinical facilities, research output, and graduation outcomes. In 2023, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, (AIIMS) Delhi, ranked number 1 with a score of 94.32.
Management Institutes
The framework included numerous management institutes offering MBA and other business-related programs. The assessment criteria for these institutes focused on academic rigor, industry interface, placement records, and entrepreneurial activities. In 2023, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad was awarded first rank with a score of 83.20 while the last 125th rank was awarded to the Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship, Bengaluru.
Pharmacy Colleges, Law Colleges, and Others
Apart from the major categories mentioned above, NIRF also evaluated institutions specializing in pharmacy, law, architecture, and other specialized fields. These colleges and institutes were assessed based on their specific parameters relevant to their respective disciplines.
Number 1 rank of pharmacy college in 2023 was the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad.
Number 1 rank of law colleges in 2023 was the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru.
Top 10 NIRF Rankings List
- The NIRF rankings highlight the top 10 institutions across diverse categories, showcasing the best-performing institutions based on their overall scores. These rankings serve as a benchmark for excellence, fostering healthy competition among institutions and inspiring continuous improvement.
As per NIRF university ranking 2023, the top 10 universities in India are:Indian Institute of Science
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jamia Milia Islamia, Jadavpur University
Banaras Hindu University
MAHE
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Vellore Institute of Technology
Aligarh Muslim University, and
The University of Hyderabad.
NIRF Ranking Comparison 2022 vs 2023
Comparing NIRF rankings from different years offers valuable insights into the performance trends of institutions over time. Analyzing the changes in rankings allows stakeholders to understand the evolving landscape of higher education and the efforts taken by institutions to enhance their standing. According to online information, the top 15 institutions in the NIRF 2023 rankings showed no significant changes compared to NIRF 2022. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) maintained its position as the top-ranked institution in India.
Final Notes
The NIRF framework stands as a robust and evolving system that plays a pivotal role in evaluating, recognizing, and fostering excellence in the Indian higher education ecosystem. Its continued evolution and impact positively influence institutions, students, policymakers, and the education sector as a whole.
The NIRF Ranking Framework serves as a beacon of evaluation, transparency, and excellence in the Indian education system. By providing a comprehensive assessment, these rankings empower students, educators, policymakers, and institutions to contribute to the growth and development of the education sector.
The NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) framework encompasses its significance, impact, and continual evolution:
Transparency and Objectivity: NIRF rankings are founded on a transparent and objective methodology. The framework’s criteria and parameters are publicly available, ensuring transparency in the evaluation process. The methodology’s objectivity aims to provide a fair assessment of institutions across various domains.
Continuous Evolution: The NIRF framework undergoes periodic revisions and refinements to ensure relevance and alignment with contemporary educational needs. Regular reviews and updates in methodology reflect the changing dynamics of higher education and incorporate feedback for continual improvement.
Catalyst for Improvement: NIRF rankings act as a catalyst for institutional improvement. By recognizing strengths and areas for enhancement, institutions are motivated to focus on their shortcomings and work towards continuous enhancement in teaching methodologies, research output, infrastructure, and more.
Informed Decision-Making: The NIRF framework empowers stakeholders, particularly students and parents, with comprehensive data and insights to make informed decisions about higher education. Access to rankings aids in selecting institutions aligned with individual preferences, aspirations, and career goals.
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FAQ’s
Which college is ranked 1 in NIRF 2023?
The college ranked 1 in NIRF 2023 may vary across different categories. The rankings are segregated into various disciplines such as engineering, medicine, management, universities, etc. As of now, the specific institution ranked 1 in 2023 would depend on the category being referred to.
Can I trust the NIRF ranking?
The NIRF ranking framework is a transparent and comprehensive assessment tool backed by a meticulous methodology. It emphasizes data-driven evaluation, standardized parameters, and third-party validation to ensure objectivity and accuracy. While rankings provide valuable insights, personal considerations and specific requirements should also be factored in while making decisions.
What is the full form of NIRF?
NIRF stands for the National Institutional Ranking Framework. It is an initiative by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, aimed at evaluating and ranking higher education institutions in India across various parameters to promote excellence and transparency in the education sector.