IIT Madras tops NIRF list for 6th time, AIIMS Delhi leads in medical

For the sixth time in a row, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) retained the number one spot in the list of top educational institutions in India under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) announced by the Ministry of Education.

IIT Madras also topped the list of engineering institutes, followed by IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Kharagpur. In the medical category, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi was followed by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru.

IIT Madras secured the top position out of the 10,885 institutes that took part in the ninth edition of the NIRF. The number of institutes that participated has increased by 200 per cent since the first edition in 2016. In the overall category, IIT Madras clinched the top spot, while the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Kanpur were among the top 5.

The top colleges in the country list were led by institutes in New Delhi, including Hindu College, Miranda House, St. Stephen's College, Rama Krishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College (Kolkata), and Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College.

In the ‘Research Institutions’ category, IIT Madras retained last year’s second position. IIT Madras also retained the second rank in the ‘Innovations’ category (previously known as Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements) for the second consecutive year. In these two categories, IISc Bengaluru and IIT Bombay secured the top spots, respectively.

“It is encouraging to see the enthusiasm among our higher education institutions, and I hope that all 58,000 higher education institutes (HEIs) will take part in the coming rankings. Out of 58,000 HEIs, 10,845 applications were received in different categories, and 6,507 institutes participated in the ranking,” said Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“This ninth consecutive NIRF top ranking is more than just an accolade; it's a validation of our dedication to producing world-class talent and driving impactful research that addresses national and global challenges. We are humbled by this recognition and remain committed to serving the nation through education and innovation," said V. Kamakoti, director, IIT Madras.

IIT Madras has the unique distinction of being the first IIT to establish a full-fledged foreign campus. IITM Zanzibar has been growing by leaps and bounds, attracting students from all over Africa, India, the Middle East, and other countries as well.

IIT Madras also became the first IIT to offer ‘Sports Excellence Admission,’ recognising the need for all-round development of students and encouraging sportspersons. IIT Madras was also recognised as an ‘Institution of Eminence’ (IoE) in September 2019 by the Indian government. The institute was granted 435 patents in the Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24), more than double the preceding year, and also filed for 378 patents in FY24, exceeding its target of one patent a day. The institute also raised Rs 513 crore during 2023-24 from alumni, corporates, and the industry, which was the highest-ever in its history. This funding is utilised not only to ramp up the institute’s infrastructure and acquire state-of-the-art facilities, but also provide scholarships for students from disadvantaged sections and convert lab research into real-world products and applications.

Started in 2015, NIRF outlines a methodology to rank educational institutions across the country. The parameters used for ranking broadly cover teaching, learning and resources, research and professional practices, graduation outcome, outreach and inclusivity, and perception.