Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras retained the top spot among institutes in the country for the fifth consecutive year. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru was adjudged the best university and research institution, according to the education ministry's National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

What is NIRF?

• The higher education system in India is large and complex. India has the third largest higher education system in the world, behind China and the United States.

• According to the ministry, the global ranking systems give weightage to the parameters such as percentage of the international students and foreign faculty, and perception — where Indian institutions do not fare as well.

• In order to measure the excellence keeping in view the diversity of India, the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was launched by the government in September 2015. 

• This year, a total number of 5,543 unique institutions responded and offered themselves for ranking under “Overall”, category-specific or domain-specific rankings. In all, 8,686 applications for ranking were made by these 5,543 unique applicant institutions under various categories and subject domains. 

Methodology for Ranking 

The ranking framework evaluates institutions on five broad generic groups of parameters:

i) Teaching, Learning and Resources 

ii) Research and Professional Practice 

iii) Graduation Outcome 

iv) Outreach and Inclusivity 

v) Perception. 

• Ranks are assigned based on the total sum of marks assigned for each of these five broad groups of parameters.

• The final ranking framework lists 16-18 parameters organised in five broad generic categories. Several of these parameters are common to those deployed globally and serve as pointers to environment for teaching, learning and research.

Key results

Overall rankings: Seven IITs — Madras, Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Roorkee and Guwahati — figured in the top 10 in the overall rankings. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which was ranked ninth last year, improved its ranking to sixth this year, while Jawaharlal Nehru University retained its tenth position in the overall category.

Universities: In the universities category, IISc Bengaluru bagged the top spot, followed by JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia in second and third spots respectively. The trio were in the same positions last year too. IISc Bengaluru has been ranked the top university for the eighth consecutive year. Banaras Hindu University, which was ranked sixth last year in the category, improved its rank and bagged the fifth spot. Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in Coimbatore, Calcutta University, Vellore Institute of Technology, Aligarh Muslim University and University of Hyderabad bagged the subsequent positions in the universities category.

Engineering: Eight IITs — Madras, Delhi, Bombay, Kanpur, Roorkee, Kharagpur, Guwahati and  Hyderabad — were in the top 10 ranks in the engineering institutions category. The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Tiruchirapalli slipped by one spot this year and bagged the ninth rank, while Jadavpur University made its entry in the top 10 in the category and bagged the 10th position.

Colleges: Among colleges, Miranda House, Hindu College and Presidency College-Chennai retained the first and second and third positions. Miranda House has been the top college for the seventh year in a row.

Management: IIM Ahmedabad and Bangalore retained the first and second ranks respectively among the B-Schools in the country. IIM Calcutta, which was in the third spot last year, slipped to the fourth position while IIM Kozhikode bagged the third position.

Pharmacy: The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad bagged the top rank in pharmacy for the first time, pushing Jamia Hamdard to the second slot. Jamia Hamdard was ranked at the top in the category for four consecutive years.

Medical: Among the medical colleges, AIIMS, Delhi bagged the top spot, followed by PGIMER Chandigarh and Christian Medical College, Vellore. The trio bagged the same positions last year. AIIMS Delhi has occupied the top slot in the category for the sixth consecutive year.

Dental: Among the dental colleges, Saveetha Institute of Medical And Technical Sciences-Chennai, Manipal College of Dental Sciences and DY Patil Vidyapeeth-Pune retained the top three positions.

Agriculture and Allied Sectors: The Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi has bagged the top slot in Agriculture and Allied Sectors. It is followed by ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal and Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. 

Innovation: Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur has topped in the Innovation category, followed by IIT Madras and IIT Hyderabad. 

Architecture: Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee has bagged the top slot in Architecture, followed by National Institute of Technology, Calicut and IIT Kharagpur.

Law: National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore was ranked the top law school in India, followed by National Law University, Delhi and Nalsar University of Law, Hyderabad.

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