NIRF Ranking 2026: Check Top Universities in India and Their Rankings
The NIRF Ranking 2026 has been released by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, with institutions evaluated across multiple parameters covering teaching, research, graduation outcomes, outreach and inclusivity, and peer perception. The latest NIRF data places the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru at Rank 1 in the University category, with an overall score of 91.81.
- NIRF Ranking 2026: Top 10 Universities in India
- IISc Bengaluru Retains Top Position
- Institute of Chemical Technology Ranks Second
- JNU at Rank 3
- University of Hyderabad and Tezpur University
- University of Delhi and BHU
- How NIRF Ranking Evaluates Universities
- NIRF Ranking 2026 vs Previous Rankings
- Why NIRF Rankings Matter for Students
- Conclusion
NIRF Ranking 2026: Top 10 Universities in India
As per the official NIRF 2026 University ranking, the top institutions are:
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru | 91.81 |
| 2 | Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai | 87.58 |
| 3 | Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi | 86.45 |
| 4 | University of Hyderabad | 85.45 |
| 5 | Tezpur University | 84.31 |
| 6 | University of Delhi | 83.19 |
| 7 | Banaras Hindu University | 81.22 |
| 8 | Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology | 78.82 |
| 9 | BITS Pilani | 76.85 |
| 10 | Aligarh Muslim University | 76.62 |
These rankings and scores are from the official NIRF 2026 University ranking data.
IISc Bengaluru Retains Top Position
The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru has secured the first position in the University category with an overall score of 91.81.
Its performance is assessed through the NIRF framework's five major parameters:
- Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR)
- Research and Professional Practice (RPC)
- Graduation Outcomes (GO)
- Outreach and Inclusivity (OI)
- Peer Perception (PR)
IISc recorded particularly strong scores in research and peer perception, according to the NIRF data.
Institute of Chemical Technology Ranks Second
The Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai has secured Rank 2 with an overall score of 87.58.
The institute recorded a 96.51 score in Research and Professional Practice, which is the highest RPC score among the top-ranked universities listed in the NIRF data.
JNU at Rank 3
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi has secured the third position with an overall score of 86.45.
JNU recorded a 100 score in Graduation Outcomes, while its Teaching, Learning & Resources score stands at 89.45.
University of Hyderabad and Tezpur University
The University of Hyderabad ranks fourth with a score of 85.45, followed by Tezpur University at Rank 5 with a score of 84.31.
The University of Hyderabad has an 88.83 score in Outreach and Inclusivity, while Tezpur University recorded strong scores across the NIRF parameters.
University of Delhi and BHU
The University of Delhi has secured Rank 6 with a score of 83.19, while Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is placed at Rank 7 with 81.22.
BHU has recorded a 99 score in Peer Perception, while its Outreach and Inclusivity score is 87.75.
How NIRF Ranking Evaluates Universities
NIRF evaluates participating institutions using five broad parameters:
| Parameter | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| TLR | Teaching, Learning & Resources |
| RPC | Research and Professional Practice |
| GO | Graduation Outcomes |
| OI | Outreach and Inclusivity |
| PR | Peer Perception |
The framework considers factors such as faculty resources, research publications, graduation outcomes, inclusivity and academic reputation.
NIRF Ranking 2026 vs Previous Rankings
The latest ranking also shows changes compared with the NIRF 2025 University rankings. In 2025, IISc was Rank 1, followed by JNU, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Jamia Millia Islamia and the University of Delhi.
The 2026 ranking places Institute of Chemical Technology at Rank 2, while JNU is at Rank 3 and University of Hyderabad at Rank 4.
Why NIRF Rankings Matter for Students
NIRF rankings provide students and parents with a standardized framework for comparing higher education institutions across India. However, students should also consider factors such as course availability, fees, admission criteria, location, infrastructure, placements, faculty and individual programme outcomes before making admission decisions.
Conclusion
The NIRF Ranking 2026 University category places IISc Bengaluru at Rank 1, followed by the Institute of Chemical Technology, JNU, University of Hyderabad and Tezpur University. The ranking provides a nationwide comparison based on teaching resources, research, graduation outcomes, outreach and peer perception.
Students can use the NIRF rankings as one source of information while evaluating universities and courses for admission.
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