Paper: GS – II, Subject: Society and Social Justice, Topic: Social Sector-Education, Issue: Issues with the NIRF rankings.
Context:
On 5 September 2025, the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) released the India Rankings 2025, where IIT-Madras secured the top overall position for the seventh consecutive year. However, the methodology, particularly the ‘peer perception’ parameter possible regional bias.
Key Takeaways:
What is NIRF?
- Launch: November 2015 by the Ministry of Education.
- Mandate: To rank higher educational institutions across India through a transparent and standardised methodology.
- Evolution:
- 2016 onwards – Annual ranking exercise.
- 2024 – Expanded to 16 categories covering State Public Universities, Open Universities, Skill Universities etc.
- Current Coverage: Engineering, Management, Medical, Pharmacy, Law, Architecture, Research, Universities, and Overall rankings.
Key Highlights of NIRF 2025:
- Top Overall Rankings:
- Consistency:
- IIT Madras: Best engineering institute for 10 consecutive years.
- IISc Bengaluru: Best university for 9 consecutive years.
- AIIMS Delhi: Top in Medical category for 7 years.
NIRF Methodology (Parameters & Weightage):
Issues and Criticisms:
Comparison:
NAAC vs NIRF
| NAAC (Accreditation) | NIRF (Ranking) |
| Comprehensive assessment, once every 5 years.Focus on institutional processes, infrastructure, quality benchmarks | Annual exercise, competitive benchmarking.Relies heavily on quantifiable indicators (publications, placements, perception). |
Significance of the updated rankings:
- Equity: Outreach and inclusivity parameter ensures representation of disadvantaged groups.
- Global Visibility: Ranking exercise boosts India’s educational competitiveness globally.
- Policy Feedback: Helps in resource allocation and guiding reforms in higher education.
Measures for Reform:
- Reduce weight of ‘peer perception’ to avoid regional bias.
- Balance quantitative (bibliometric) and qualitative (teaching quality, societal impact) indicators.
- Enhance transparency in data collection and validation.
- Recognise local/national research contributions along with global publications.
- Ensure state-funded and regional universities are not marginalised.
Conclusion:
The NIRF 2025 rankings showcase India’s progress in building globally competitive institutions, with IITs and IISc retaining dominance. However, reforms in methodology, especially regarding peer perception and bibliometric reliance, are crucial for ensuring fairness and inclusivity, shaping India’s vision of becoming a global knowledge hub by 2047.
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