National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)

The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is an initiative of the Government of India launched by the Ministry of Education (formerly the Ministry of Human Resource Development) in 2015.
National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)
2 min read
31 January 2024

What is the National Institutional Ranking Framework?

The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is an initiative of the Government of India launched by the Ministry of Education (formerly the Ministry of Human Resource Development) in 2015. NIRF is designed to assess and rank higher education institutions in India based on various parameters, providing a transparent and standardised framework for evaluating their performance.

Objectives of National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)

  1. Transparency and accountability: NIRF aim to bring transparency and accountability to the higher education system by providing a comprehensive and standardised framework for ranking institutions. This allows students and parents to make informed decisions based on objective parameters.
  2. Encouraging healthy competition: By publicly ranking institutions, NIRF fosters healthy competition among universities and colleges. The comparative analysis encourages institutions to strive for continuous improvement in various domains, including teaching, research, and outreach.
  3. Facilitating informed decision-making: NIRF provides valuable information to students, educators, and policymakers, enabling them to make informed decisions about the selection of institutions for academic pursuits. The ranking framework considers various aspects, reflecting a holistic view of an institution's performance.
  4. Promoting research and innovation: The framework emphasises research and innovation as crucial components of an institution's standing. This promotes a culture of research excellence and encourages institutions to contribute meaningfully to advancements in knowledge.

Components of NIRF

  1. Teaching, learning, and resources: This category assesses the core activities of an institution, including faculty qualifications, student-faculty ratio, and the availability of resources for teaching and learning.
  2. Research and professional practices: Focused on research output and quality, this category evaluates publications, patents, and collaborative projects, emphasising the institution's contribution to cutting-edge research.
  3. Graduation outcomes: NIRF considers parameters related to student success, including graduation rates, placement statistics, and the overall employability of graduates.
  4. Outreach and inclusivity: This component evaluates an institution's commitment to societal outreach, including measures of diversity, student-centric initiatives, and community engagement.
  5. Perception: Stakeholder perceptions, including those of academics, employers, and the public, contribute to an institution's overall ranking. This reflects the institution's reputation in the academic and professional communities.

Methodology

  1. Data collection: Institutions submit data across various parameters to NIRF, providing a comprehensive overview of their activities. This data includes academic, research, and infrastructure-related information.
  2. Expert committees: NIRF constitutes expert committees for each category to review the submitted data and ensure that the evaluation is objective and standardised. The committees consist of academicians, industry experts, and policymakers.
  3. Weightage and scoring: Different categories receive different weightages based on their significance in assessing institutional performance. Parameters are scored, and the cumulative scores determine an institution's rank in the overall and category-specific rankings.

Impact of NIRF

  1. Quality enhancement: NIRF has incentivised institutions to focus on improving their academic and research capabilities. The pursuit of a higher ranking encourages a culture of continuous quality enhancement.
  2. Informed decision-making: Students and parents can make more informed decisions about choosing institutions for higher education. NIRF rankings serve as a reliable guide for assessing an institution's overall standing.
  3. Global recognition: Higher rankings on the NIRF scale contribute to an institution's global recognition. Internationally recognised rankings enhance the reputation of Indian universities on the global academic stage.
  4. Accountability and transparency: NIRF fosters a culture of accountability and transparency in higher education. Institutions are held to measurable standards, and the public availability of ranking data ensures transparency in the evaluation process.

List of Top 10 NIRF Engineering Colleges in India

Collage Name

Rank

State

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

1

Tamil Nadu

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

2

Delhi

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

3

Maharashtra

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

4

Uttar Pradesh

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

5

Uttarakhand

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

6

West Bengal

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

7

Assam

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad

8

Telangana

National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli

9

Tamil Nadu

Jadavpur University

10

West Bengal


National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Ranking 2024 for Management

Institute Name

Year of Est

City

State

2024 Rank

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

1961

Ahmedabad

Gujarat

1

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

1973

Bengaluru

Karnataka

2

Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode

1996

Kozhikode

Kerala

3

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

1961

New Delhi

Delhi

4

Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

1961

Kolkata

West Bengal

5

Indian Institute of Management Mumbai (Formerly NITIE)

1963

Mumbai

Maharashtra

6

Indian Institute of Management Lucknow

1984

Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh

7

Indian Institute of Management Indore

1996

Indore

Madhya Pradesh

8

Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI)

1949

Jamshedpur

Jharkhand

9

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

1958

Mumbai

Maharashtra

10


National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Ranking 2024 for Pharmacy

Institute Name

Year of Est

City

State

2024 Rank

Jamia Hamdard

1989

New Delhi

Delhi

1

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Hyderabad

2007

Hyderabad

Telangana

2

Birla Institute of Technology & Science -Pilani

1964

Pilani

Rajasthan

3

JSS College of Pharmacy

1980

Ooty

Tamil Nadu

4

Institute of Chemical Technology

1933

Mumbai

Maharashtra

5

JSS College of Pharmacy

1973

Mysore

Karnataka

6

Panjab University

1882

Chandigarh

Chandigarh

7

Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal

1963

Udupi

Karnataka

8

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali

1991

Mohali

Punjab

9

SVKM`s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies

2006

Mumbai

Maharashtra

10


National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Ranking 2024 for Architecture and Planning

Institute Name

Year of Est

City

State

2024 Rank

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

1847

Roorkee

Uttarakhand

1

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

1951

Kharagpur

West Bengal

2

National Institute of Technology Calicut

1961

Kozhikode

Kerala

3

Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur

1856

HOWRAH

West Bengal

4

School of Planning and Architecture New Delhi

1942

New Delhi

Delhi

5

Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University

1962

Ahmedabad

Gujarat

6

Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

1920

New Delhi

Delhi

7

National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli

1964

Tiruchirappalli

Tamil Nadu

8

National Institute of Technology Rourkela

1961

Rourkela

Odisha

9

Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur

1960

Nagpur

Maharashtra

10


The National Institutional Ranking Framework serves as a catalyst for fostering excellence, promoting healthy competition, and empowering stakeholders with valuable insights. As NIRF evolves and adapts to the changing dynamics of higher education, it continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the quality and competitiveness of India's academic institutions. The framework stands as a testament to the government's commitment to elevating the standards of higher education and empowering individuals to make informed choices for a brighter academic future.

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Frequently asked questions

How many NITs are there in India?

There are currently 31 National Institutes of Technology (NITs) in India. These are autonomous public technical and research universities, spread across different states and union territories of the country.

Are NITs better than IIT?

Both IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) and NITs (National Institutes of Technology) stand as prestigious institutions in India and are known for their excellent education in engineering and technology. Whether one is better than the other usually comes down to individual perspectives, course preferences, faculty, placements, and infrastructure among others. It is advisable to look at specific programmes, facilities, placement records, and faculty while comparing institutions rather than generalising the entire institution.

What is the significance of NIRF rankings for students?

The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings offer a credible and authoritative yardstick for students while choosing an institution for higher education. These rankings are based on the teaching, learning, and resources, research, professional practice, collaborative initiatives, graduate outcomes, outreach, and inclusivity and perception of each institution. Therefore, NIRF rankings can help students gauge the overall performance and reputation of an education institution in India.

How does the NIRF ranking system work?

The NIRF Ranking system works on several predefined parameters, which are broken down into components and sub-components. These include teaching, learning, and resources, research and professional practices, graduation outcomes, outreach and inclusivity, and perception. Each parameter carries a specific weightage for its corresponding components, which is then used to calculate an overall cumulative score, ultimately giving the final ranking.

Are NIRF rankings reliable?

Yes, NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) rankings are generally considered reliable as they are based on a transparent methodology. The framework evaluates institutions on multiple criteria such as Teaching, Learning & Resources, Research and Professional Practices, Graduation Outcomes, Outreach, and Perception. However, like all rankings, NIRF is not immune to criticism, with concerns sometimes raised about data submission accuracy and specific ranking metrics.

Can international institutions participate in NIRF rankings?

No, currently only Indian institutions are eligible to participate in NIRF rankings. It is specifically designed to rank institutions within India and provide a framework for comparing the quality of Indian higher education institutions.

Is there a separate NIRF ranking for engineering colleges?

Yes, NIRF provides separate rankings for different categories, including engineering, medical, law, management, pharmacy, universities, and overall institution rankings. Engineering colleges are evaluated specifically in the "Engineering" category, using parameters relevant to technical education.

Can NIRF rankings be challenged or appealed?

NIRF rankings are based on data submitted by the institutions themselves. While institutions may raise concerns about the evaluation process or specific results, there is no formal mechanism to challenge or appeal the rankings. However, institutions can request clarifications or corrections if they believe there are errors in the data or evaluation.

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